L.A. Times And TM

A week after publishing a story touting a supposed feud between Live Nation and Ticketmaster over surcharges and concert pricing, the Los Angeles Times weighed in with an editorial October 1st.

The Times cites Ticketmaster add-ons “which range from 30 percent to 40 percent of the face value of the typical concert ticket” and notes that other transactions – airline and hotel bookings, for instance – are less expensive when booked online.

The editorial also charged that TM “has practically created a cartel for concert-goer abuse” by sharing fees with venues and promoters and, often in separate deals, with artists.

Whether a supposed “uprising” by Live Nation helps kick off the “next revolution,” as the Times put it, remains to be seen.

Ticketmaster declined to comment.