The Boss bitchslaps Ticketmaster

Condemns selling practice, disses Live Nation merger talks

By Kelly Fiveash • Get more from this author

Posted in Music and Media, 6th February 2009 13:34 GMT

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Bruce Springsteen has castigated Ticketmaster after it encouraged US fans to buy tickets online for one of his gigs at inflated prices.

The Boss also put the boot in about any possible merger between Ticketmaster and concert promoter Live Nation, declaring that such a move would “make the current ticket situation even worse for the fan”.

Springsteen, his manager Jon Landau and the entire Springsteen tour team claimed on the Brucemeister’s website that such a move would lead to “a near monopoly situation in music ticketing”.

The ageing denim-clad rock star unleashed a furious attack against Ticketmaster after it redirected fans to the TicketsNow website, which was touting pricier tickets for his latest tour.

He hit out at Ticketmaster for its actions and demanded that the firm “cease and desist immediately” by removing the redirection to TicketsNow, where overpriced tickets were being sold, after he was told about TM's tactics last Monday.

Ticketmaster agreed to The Boss’s demands by halting the redirection and admitted it had “clearly missed the mark” by encouraging fans to use a website where tickets for Bruce’s tour had been inflated.

According to the Beeb, the company’s boss Irving Azoff “sincerely apologised" to Springsteen and his fans, who were left “confused and angry” about Ticketmaster’s behaviour.

“The abuse of our fans and our trust by Ticketmaster has made us as furious as it has made many of you,” wrote Springsteen and chums.

“We will continue to do our utmost now and in the future to make sure that these practices are permanently curtailed on our tours.” ®

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