Ticketmaster to introduce “all-in pricing” and eliminate hidden fees for conertgoers
It comes after Joe Biden’s call to rid of “junk fees” in February
Ticketmaster has announced the introduction of “all-in pricing” to its ticketing service in an effort to rid of hidden fees for fans.
It comes after US President Joe Biden called for the elimination of “junk fees” to ticketing earlier in February, urging companies to “disclose all the fees upfront”.
The plan will be introduced by Live Nation Entertainment, who said in a press release that the entertainment company will begin a new “all-in pricing experience” at venues and festivals the company operates in the US from September.
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“Live Nation has been advocating for all-in pricing to become law for many years, and joined a forum at the White House today hosted by President Biden to discuss this and other reforms that would benefit artists and consumers,” they explained.
All-in pricing allows fans to see the full price upfront including fees, which are usually hidden until the final purchase is made. “Seeing the total cost from the start makes buying tickets easier and consistent with other retail shopping experiences,” Live Nation addressed.
The introduction of all-in pricing was welcomed by Ticketmaster and SeatGeek, and aims to create an “industry-wide coalition” urging other ticketing companies to follow suit.
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President of Venue Nation, Tom See, said in a statement: "We have thousands of crew working behind the scenes every day to help artists share their music live with fans, and we'll continue advocating for innovations and reforms that protect that amazing connection."
In March, Ticketmaster offered a partial refund to those attending The Cure's North America tour following persuasion and backlash from both artists and fans over "unduly high" ticket fees.
The plan will begin to roll out across the US in September and will continue to advocate for passing federal all-in pricing legislation in the US, as well as allowing artists to determine resale rules.
Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Assistant Editor, follow her on Twitter