if they win this, I'll do a jig.

Ticketmaster faces $500M class-action lawsuit

Canwest News ServiceFebruary 9, 2009 4:01 PM

TORONTO — A $500-million class-action lawsuit was launched against Ticketmaster Monday over allegations that the popular ticketseller violates Canada's anti-scalping laws.

Launched Monday by law firms Sutts, Strosberg in Toronto and Branch McMaster in Vancouver, the lawsuit claims Ticketmaster "conspired to divert tickets to popular events" from its main website to its own ticket auction website, http://www.TicketsNow.com.

"Customers have voiced concerns over the fact that tickets for the most popular events can ostensibly sell out in minutes, only to become immediately available in the secondary market at much higher prices," said Luciana Brasil of Branch McMaster in a news release.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of all Ontario customers who bought tickets through Ticketmaster or TicketsNow.com from and after Feb. 9, 2007.

"It is reasonable to expect consumers to be curious about the process by which tickets are sold to them," said Jay Strosberg of Sutts, Strosberg. "The mere fact that Ticketmaster has a financial interest in both retail and premium ticket sales leads to an obvious question about the process by which those tickets are sold to members of the public and how it works."

The representing plaintiff in the lawsuit also claims that he had recently bought two concert tickets for $533.65 including service charges on TicketsNow.com. The lawyers are claiming that their client would have only had to pay $133.00 for the pair if they were available on Ticketmaster's main website. The plaintiff says he was directed to the more expensive tickets by Ticketmaster. The lawsuit also claims that the additional fees and surcharges violate Ontario's anti-scalping laws, the news release said.

© Copyright (c) Canwest News Service

Not sure how much merit that has, but I'm ardently anti-ticketmaster, so .

I understand how cyberspace moves a bit quicker than most human interaction, but anyone who has attempted to get tickets at the on sale time has surely seen this charade. I must say that they overstretched their bounds, greedy motherfuckers, and now might be a hell of a time to voice our opinions.
Having lately attempted to purchase Allman Brothers, Springsteen, Dave Matthews Band and Phish (though that's LiveNation) has given me plenty of ammunition though no direct monetary figures. Over the years online scalping has gotten fairly insane. I recall the last few years of PJ onsales have been marred, in my mind, by StubHub's ridiculous amount of listings five minutes later (or before in some cases).
Anything we do to fuel the flame is worth it in my opinion.

Didn't some band try to sue them unsuccessfully a dozen or so year ago and nothing happened?

I really don't think it's ridiculous to pay $10 service charges on $15 tix

WOO HOO!! I"m gonna get in on this one!!!

TICKETMASTER FACES $250M LAWSUIT OVER FEES
By Sarah Schmidt
Canwest News Service

February 12, 2009 2:01 PM
OTTAWA — Ticketmaster is facing a second class-action lawsuit that could mean a small windfall for any Canadian who has coughed up cash to cover the extra fees and surcharges for a concert ticket.

The $250 million lawsuit, filed on Thursday in Ontario Superior Court on behalf of plaintiffs from across the country, comes just days after a $500 million action on behalf of Ontario residents, alleging Ticketmaster conspired to direct event tickets from Ticketmaster's lower priced portal in favour of its ticket brokering website, where tickets sell at premium prices.

This contravenes Ontario's anti-scalping legislation, the first class-action suit alleges.

The second case takes on the separate issue of extra fees and surcharges charged by Ticketmaster when customers purchase tickets to events through its website. In addition to a "convenience" fee of up to $14 for a single ticket, Ticketmaster charges a "building facility" charge and an order processing fee.

Ticketmaster also charges between $1.75 and $2.50 for customers to print their own ticket under its "TicketFast" service.

The Edmonton plaintiff in the pan-Canadian case alleges these charges contravene Ontario's law prohibiting the sale of a ticket above the issued price of the ticket.

The law firms of Sutts, Strosberg of Toronto and Branch McMaster in Vancouver contend Ticketmaster customers outside Ontario are protected by this provincial legislation because Ticketmaster's terms of use stipulates that any disputes involving tickets for any event in Canada are "governing by the laws of the Province of Ontario."

The suit threatens the source of revenue for Ticketmaster, which sells tickets on behalf of its clients — venues, bands or promoters.

The other suit involves both Ticketmaster and Ticketsnow.com, which it bought last year for $265 million.

The Toronto plaintiff, consultant Henryk Krajewski, tired last fall to purchase two tickets for a Smashing Pumpkins concert on Ticketmaster's website. None were available, so Ticketmaster directed him to Ticketsnow.com, where Krajewski was able to buy two tickets for $533.65 — far more than the face value of $133.

The lawsuit alleges this practice violates Ontario's Ticket Speculation Act., which makes it illegal to sell tickets for more than face value.

Another suit may be rolled out to Alberta and Manitoba, which also have anti-scalping legislation. But customers in other provinces are out of luck because there is no comparable anti-scalping legislation.

Albert Lopez, a spokesman for Ticketmaster Entertainment Inc., said consumers are just plain wrong when they allege Ticketmaster diverts tickets from the primary ticket sale business to the secondary sales market.

"There is categorically no movement of stock, inventory if you will, from Ticketmaster into the resale market at Ticketsnow.com," he said in an interview.


None of the allegations have been proven in court.

I never understood why it costs extra money for me to print out my own ticket.

Because it's convenient. D'uh.

That'll be 2.75$ for my reply btw.

ok, I just got some info back from one of the law firms involved.

For you Canadian folks (sorry Yankees, you'll have to sue 'em yourself), go here:

http://www.ticketmasterclassaction.com/

Click on the "Communication" link in the middle of the page and fill out the form to get in to be a potential claimant!
I've never been involved in a Class Action lawsuit before. I'm excited!!

Yah, this is a question that will be asked by historians and philosophers for generations to come.

Mailed to you? Free. Will Call? Free. Print it? Cost money.

The first two involve human interaction (and postage). The third...absolutely no variable costs.

Morons.

here they charge you £4.95 for sending it to you (recorded delivery, but that only costs about £1). But they charge the same if you pick up (if they even allow it) or to print it yourself .
worse, if you're not living in the UK, the postage is cheaper!

since I have to pay the same, I always chose the most expensive option for them: postage (and also the best if you can't make the show and need to resell)..the only way I'd go for Ticketfast is if it was free.

I'm in. I've only got one show that fit the criteria though and just a small surcharge on that. Ticketmaster doesn't really have a presence out here in the maritimes so most shows i buy tickets to are either through admission.com or through ticketmaster US.

Still though, i want my hat in the ring when these assholes get their day in court.

I hope they get nailed

Where in the east are you?

If you were all really that upset, you would not attend concerts to begin with. That would hurt this company much more than any lawsuit, and create real and lasting change.

However, I do not believe that many of you have the wherewithal to resist your base urges to consume entertainment, and you will simply continue to buy tickets and complain about being suckers.

So?

So?

So, lets dance.

I don't

He doesn't care. That's his thing.

word