I asked some folks to play a round of free association with the word "Ticketmaster." Their responses:
- "Convenience fees."
- "Death."
- "A raging, bloody-mouthed, bursting-veined, 10-story-tall capitalist pig raging through New York City destroying the youth of America and sucking their pockets and souls dry."
Their words, not mine.
After the hubbub surrounding Bruce Springsteen's shows, Ticketmaster reached a national settlement with the New Jersey Attorney General (via The Daily Swarm), in which the company has agreed to stop linking customers to its subsidiary, TicketsNow. If you haven't heard, customers that tried purchasing tickets were redirected to TicketsNow, a company that was charging fans inflated scalper prices while tickets were still available at face value.
More than 2,200 Boss fans complained -- a few million short of the grumbles the site receives daily -- resulting in a 2,000-ticket lottery that will award entrance at the original face value.
People who don't win will be given a $100 gift certificate and a chance to purchase Springsteen tickets next time he rolls into the Garden State. And get this: The ticket site has to pay New Jerz $350,000 to cover the investigation price tag.
Meanwhile, Ticketmaster will continue to raise blood pressure (TMT News) if it successfully merges with Live Nation.
