bonnaroo2007_31

"Promoters finding ways to sidestep Ticketmaster"

Bonnaroo concertgoers watching the White Stripes (CRED)
Bonnaroo

The big news for frustrated consumers is that a major change could be in the works: The concert industry has been buzzing for months that Live Nation may begin selling tickets for all of its concerts itself. It is currently Ticketmaster‘s single largest client, but that contract expires next year, and Live Nation owns a stake in two major independent companies, Next Ticketing and MusicToday.com, which both rival Ticketmaster’s capabilities for selling tickets online.

If Live Nation cuts Ticketmaster out of the transaction and sells tickets direct to concertgoers, industry experts say that it will be able to keep more of the ticketing revenue for itself — and hopefully reduce service fees for concertgoers.

“We’re in the midst of talking through next steps with Ticketmaster,” Vlautin said, “so it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to comment on that.” [Chicago Sun Times]

More Bonnaroo pictures HERE and HERE