By Olivia Harrison
Staff writer

Around 3 p.m. on March 18, I logged into Ticketmaster hoping to get tickets to the Tomorrow X Together show at Madison Square Garden. However, the map froze when I logged in, so I couldn’t click on any seating options. I had to choose a backup option so I could watch it on another day instead.

Part of me was annoyed that the website didn’t appear but instead froze, confusing some fans and causing others to back off for another day. Some users were booted from the system and were unable to secure tickets for either date. Still, I felt it was a win that I could see Tomorrow X Together on another day.

The problems I had with Ticketmaster occurred again with pre-sales for Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet tour. Fans were given a pre-sale code for different nights at different venues. I chose Madison Square Garden and the Wells Fargo Center as backups.

I ended up at the back of the line with about 40,000 people in front of me, more than either stadium could hold. Other fans had issues with Ticketmaster turning them off, screens freezing, and other issues occurring. When it was my turn to see what was available, both shows were sold out, which broke my best friend and I’s hearts.

As my frustration with Ticketmaster grew, I tried to look for an alternative solution, but there were no other options. I had to use Ticketmaster or play roulette on StubHub and Vividseats.

The most concerning thing about Ticketmaster is its monopoly on the concert ticket industry. Ticketmaster is owned by parent company Live Nation, which has a near-complete monopoly on the industry, with prices, fares and taxes all controlled by it.

The U.S. Department of Justice has sued the company for violating antitrust laws, but it is unclear how the case will play out. Although Stubhub and Vividseats are verified websites, transactions are expensive and there is a higher chance of being scammed or scammed by so-called “resellers”.

Ticketmaster does sell resale tickets, but the platform allows scalpers to charge inflated prices. The company needs to pay more attention to this problem.

A key problem is that Ticketmaster owns the resale platform and therefore monopolizes the market for resale tickets. There is no other solution, which is a problem considering how much money and time fans spend purchasing concert tickets.

Although Ticketmaster is a reputable company and website, there have also been numerous issues with the security of ticket sales, with the company selling “unverified” face value tickets or taking tickets from customers without them knowing. Fans are often stuck in a maze of customer service options that go nowhere, and their valuable time and money is wasted.

For example, seventeen fans ordered tickets for the tour, but their tickets were stolen and taken by fraudsters who broke into the system. Ticketmaster did nothing to improve the situation, leaving fans helpless while others took legal action.

Recently, Oasis fans were also unsettled; Ticketmaster took away more than 50,000 tickets. This shows a significant lack of consumer protection on Ticketmaster’s part, as most customers have no legal recourse. Ticketmaster only cares about the true purpose of the company: making a profit. No consideration is given to the customers, nor to the artists themselves, who will be held liable if tickets are stolen from customers.

Live Nation’s monopolization of the industry has gone on long enough, and it’s time for another company to emerge. While the company acts like it is providing an essential service, some gain fans while others don’t and waste valuable time.

Furthermore, even the fans who get tickets cannot be 100% guaranteed that Ticketmaster will not take away what they have dangerously fought for. It’s a double-edged sword with no winning solution.

It’s time for a real solution to emerge for the concert ticketing industry – one that prioritizes fans and artists rather than focusing on profits. Until that happens, Ticketmaster and Live Nation will continue this vicious cycle, leaving concertgoers helpless.