WASHINGTON D.C. (CelebrityAccess) — Democratic congressman Bill Pascarell sent a letter to Live Nation, demanding information about the company’s ticket pricing policy in the wake of the Bruce Springsteen ticketing controversy.
The letter, addressed to Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino, is a response to media reports earlier this year about high ticket prices resulting from Ticketmaster’s Official Platinum Seats tickets. The ticketing model, which creates dynamic pricing based on demand, led to some tickets for Bruce Springsteen’s current tour, being sold on the primary market for as much as $5,000, according to multiple media reports.
“Ticketmaster has tacitly acknowledged these issues by making a rare public statement to inform the public about the percentage of seats being sold at different price ranges,” Bill Pascrell said in the letter to Rapino that he shared via social media. “To help fans better understand the frustratingly opaque process that leads to such high prices, I am inquiring about the veracity of the company’s statements, as well as the policies and prices the company has put into place for this tour.”
“Reforms are desperately needed, and that is why I introduced the BOSS Act that would bring much needed transparency to the sale, pricing, and distribution of live-event tickets,” Bill Pascrell wrote.
“Your company could unilaterally enact these consumer-friendly reforms at any time, and because your company controls an overwhelming portion of both the primary and secondary ticketing markets, these reforms would likely become industry standards overnight. Yet you choose not to act responsibly, instead prolonging the frustration an confusion of consumers,” he added.
Bill Pascrell requested that Live Nation respond to three lines of questions before September 30th.
1. How many shows on the Bruce Springsteen tour will be played at venues exclusively owned or booked by Ticketmaster and for how many of these is Ticketmaster the primary or exclusive ticket vendor for.
2. For specific data supporting Live Nation’s statements to the press that its ticketing prices and formats are consistent with industry standards for top performers.
3. Does Live Nation inform customers about how many tickets will be available for sale, when they will be available for sale and how they will be priced, allowing consumers to make informed purchases.
Congressman Bill Pascrell currently represents New Jersey’s 9th congressional district and appears likely to retain his seat, fending off a challenge from Republican rival Billy Prempeh in the 2022 midterms.
Today I’ve demanded answers from Ticketmaster on the monopoly’s role in the Springsteen tour fiasco where fans were charged upwards of $5000 for seats. pic.twitter.com/K8WGtmH1iX
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@BillPascrell) August 31, 2022
