Supported by Robert Smith, fans of The Cure will be partially reimbursed following the “excessive fees” requested.
Ticketmaster will be implementing partial refunds for people who purchased tickets for the tour of The Cure recently announced in the United States. This follows an award controversy started by singer Robert Smith. He said he was “disgusted”.
The refund, announced by Robert Smith on Twitter, is organized the day after the tickets go on sale. Fans have complained of excessive fees and technical issues that prevented them from buying their tickets. Some $20 seat buyers have posted screenshots detailing the additional fees charged. These were superior to the squares themselves.
According to Robert Smith, those who bought seats at the lowest price will receive $10. The others will receive 5.
1 OF 2: AFTER FURTHER CONVERSATION, TICKETMASTER HAVE AGREED WITH US THAT MANY OF THE FEES BEING CHARGED ARE UNDULY HIGH, AND AS A GESTURE OF GOODWILL HAVE OFFERED A $10 PER TICKET REFUND TO ALL VERIFIED FAN ACCOUNTS FOR LOWEST TICKET PRICE (‘LTP’ ) TRANSACTIONS…
— ROBERT SMITH (@RobertSmith) March 16, 2023
It’s not clear that Ticketmaster has made such a move before, but part of it comes from Robert Smith’s explicit request to keep prices affordable. Prior to the onsale, The Cure had taken significant steps to ensure that fans paid the true value of the tickets. They refused to use platinum plans or dynamic pricing to prevent prices from skyrocketing. They have also made places impossible to transfer, so as to avoid scalpers driving up resale prices.
The Cure’s strategy comes at a time when the issue of ticket prices has come to the fore. For years, and ever since the controversial campaign Taylor Swift’s Eras tour in November, Ticketmaster and Live Nation Entertainment (the company that owns it) have received heavy criticism from fans and regulators over their monopoly on the entertainment industry.
The company is facing an investigation by the US Department of Justice and was heard in a Senate hearing in January. Live Nation denied the monopoly charges. Since February, the company has become more active regarding the legislation of places and, according to it, would grant more power to artists to limit the strategies of scalpers. (The resale sites hit back, saying they were singled out for avoiding certain changes that would weaken Live Nation’s hold on the industry.)
So @thecure and @RobertSmith wanted to keep ticket prices at a reasonable level for fans on their upcoming North American tour dates. Of course @Ticketmaster absolutely rinsed them with ridiculous extra charges
wtf even is a service fee or a facility charge or processing fee?? pic.twitter.com/jsgspXnifj
—Tim Burgess (@Tim_Burgess) March 16, 2023
In a series of tweets following fan frustration, Robert Smith took a liking to scalpers and the dynamic pricing strategy, calling it a “scam” and stating that artists have a choice whether or not to participate.
The fan’s screenshot that went viral detailed the fees charged by Ticketmaster, as well as those of the venue. (A venue that was not owned or operated by Live Nation). Combined, these fees were higher than the ticket itself.
Ethan Millman
Translated by the editor