Bruce Springsteen, Class Action Suit against Ticketmaster

I have decided to pursue a class action suit against Ticketmaster for unfair business practices and acting as a monopoly.   Artist have no choice nor do fans.  For many years we have all paid that extra fee for the service charges when we buy tickets.   They make Millions of dollars on when we have to buy tickets from them and offer us nothing in return except bad business practices.  Please respond via the comments box if you would like to be part of the suit.  Enough is enough.

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  1. Fully agree. Many times subject to the scam that is ticketmaster.

  2. This scam was first reported by NJ fans. It happened to me when trying to buy Pgh tickets. I’m sure there are people all over the country that would like to join this class action suit or at least share their horror stories about Ticketmaster. I agree. Enough is enough. My ticket search that started @ exactly 10:00 am, the moment tickets went on sale, and only found poor seats until I was redirected to the Tickets Now site within 5 minutes of tickets going on sale. I finally got face value seats, but not very good ones. It took many searches and error messages and lock outs.

  3. [...] Submitted on 2009/02/06 at 1:07am [...]

  4. It is about time people banded together against this unfair practise that has been shutting out and preventing true fans of many artists from shows over the past several years.

    Where do I sign to become part of this classaction lawsuit? It is finally time we get rid of this greedy entity that should be known as “Ticket Bastard”!!!!!

  5. [...] Submitted on 2009/02/09 at 10:22pm [...]

  6. [...] a merger with concert promoter extraordinaire Live Nation. As for fans, some of them are joining a class action suit that takes Ticketmaster to task for unfair business [...]

  7. I would join this class action lawsuit! I was one of the people trying to buy tickets in Denver, when I got redirected to their sister site. Pissed me off!!

  8. [...] Springsteen apologized for the situation, which he called a "bait and switch." Sen. Charles Schumer, (D-New York) and Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-New Jersey) have asked stern questions of Ticketmaster. Some fans are joining a class action suit. [...]

  9. Sign me up!

  10. Here is an e-mail I sent to Albert Lopez of Ticketmaster, Springsteen’s website, Bill Pascrall’s office and my local Congessman John Sarbanes:

    I am very upset with the way things unfolded while trying to purchase Bruce Springsteen tickets for the May 18 Verizon venue. I was online at 10:00 AM logged on to Ticketmaster with my account information all up to date. When I clicked buy tickets, I kept getting kicked out of the website. I kept trying to get back on, and either I would get kicked out or was told there were problems with the website. Finally after 15 minutes, I was told that there are no seats left, but I could buy them from Ticketmaster Now at a higher price. By that time I was so frustrated and upset that I bought 2 tickets for $500.00. I then called Ticketmaster Now and was put on hold for 45 minutes. When I complained to the customer service rep, he said he was sorry for my frustration but everything was handled legally and with in the guidelines of the Better Business Bureau.

    Our country is in financial turmoil. I feel that you have taken advantage of us consumers. Now is not the time to mess with people’s money.

    Ticketmaster patron since 1980 (River tour, Spectrum)

    Annapolis, Md

    • The same exact thing happened to me except I did NOT buy any tickets at the inflated price. Now it is less than a week before the concert and I still have no tickets. I have not missed a Bruce concert at the Spectrum or any venue here in Philly (even the old Tweeter Center for the Seeger Sessions!) since I was old enough to go to concerts! I even saw Bruce in Tampa St. Pete’s last year when I was visitng my brothers. I am so upset! This is his last concert at the Spectrum and I will be there. Somehow. How could Bruce let this happen! He is the champion of the working man! I can’t believe he had anything to do with this. Everyone who goes to this concert should keep all of your receipts and communications with whoever you get your tickets from. Lets start something that will change the world.(of music)

  11. [...] Submitted on 2009/02/10 at 10:47pm [...]

  12. [...] Submitted on 2009/02/10 at 10:47pm [...]

  13. [...] Submitted on 2009/02/10 at 8:41pm [...]

  14. [...] Submitted on 2009/02/10 at 7:36pm [...]

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  16. Please contact me to discuss how i can greatly help your case. Todd at 816-456-4826

  17. Add me to the list. This situation happened to me and I wrote to my congressman as soon as I learned they were investigating it. Too late now… no show for me.

  18. Attorney Advertisement

    Finkelstein Thompson LLP is a law firm that represents consumers who have been harmed by large corporations’ unfair business practices. We are currently investigating allegations that consumers were unable to buy tickets for concerts and other events on Ticketmaster’s website, yet were immediately offered more expensive tickets through Ticketmaster’s subsidiary, TicketsNow. If you have been affected and would like to discuss your rights, please contact us at our toll-free number 877-800-1450 or by email at contact@finkelsteinthompson.com. Responding to this advertisement does not, by itself, create an attorney-client relationship between you and Finkelstein Thompson LLP.

  19. I agree! You can never gets tickets through ticketmaster – apparently every concert always sells out within minutes. Please.

  20. [...] Submitted on 2009/02/16 at 12:46pm [...]

  21. Ticketmaster has run the show long enough there needs to be a change. Whatever happen to the scalping laws? I understand the law was changed by Corzine but isn’t there a limit over face value that brokers can charge? I thought it was 20% not 500-1000%. Come on, we all don’t have the millions Corzine does to spend on entertainment!

  22. I was logged on prior to 10 am and strated right away via computer on computer I just keep getting the error info – and re-directed – I had the phone going at the same time – on hold for 45 minutes and then told no tickets at all – I am in NJ – ticketmaster saying almost everyone got seats – is just plain wrong!!!

  23. [...] Submitted on 2009/02/18 at 4:44pm [...]

  24. I called Ticketmaster (very, very rude) and they forwarded me to Ticketsnow and they said they would refund the difference of the tickets.

  25. We’re screwed!!!…. a merger between Live Nation and Ticketmaster! How is it that at a time when our entire world is imploding from the excess of corporate greed that we sit back and allow this to happen. Its time to bring the music back to the people, its time to enable a simple wage earner to take his son or daughter to the game and get a decent seat at a decent price, its time that people sit back and get the enjoyment and pleasure from entertainment without excess, its time that entertainers and athletes act as role models for what is good and right in our society.

    What are the whores of the entertainment world thinking? Tell me how you justify 360-degree deals with artists and pass those unrealistic costs off to the people who want to see an act today? Tell me how you charge $1.75 to deliver an eTicket? Do you get a kick of performing for corporate greed who have never bought one of your songs or followed your game instead of for someone who is in love with your music, knows every word of every song or for the kid that can rattle off the stats of your athletic career and idolizes the ground that you walk on.

    And it gets worse…greed incites more greed…sorry no tickets to that show or game, but let me direct you to a place that still has great seats, at 1.5 times the face value…or more!

    Sure I get paying a little more…I recognize the free market, but this is not a free market. It is a slaughterhouse of those who love the tunes, love the game. The excess has reached its limit and we cannot stand for it anymore.

    The fans that have had near religious experiences listening to great live music, attending that great event and seeing their team win, need to take the entertainment world back. We the people, who still have a tear well up when that special song brings back undying memories, need to cooperate in access without greed!!!! Ticket Manifesto is a site dedicated to real fans…. it’s a site that will create an environment where people can post their tickets and allow people to access them for fair value. It’s about sharing the love and joy of music and sport without a high price. Watch for the launch of TicketManifesto.com soon! It will work to serve you, not master you.

    I am a lover of the song……the performance…..the game…… and this is my manifesto! You can screw the individual, but you can’t stop us all if we unite in supporting each other. Join the Ticket Manifesto revolution.

  26. CALLING ALL BRUCE FANS WHO WERE SCAMMED IN CALIFORNIA….

    WE NEED TO WORK AS A UNIT TO GET OUR ATTORNEY GENERAL TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST TICKETMASTER. EVERYONE NEEDS TO CONTACT JERRY BROWN AT THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND COMPLAIN.

    THEY WILL ONLY TAKE ACTION IF THEY GET A LOT OF COMPLAINTS…..

  27. We tried to purchase tickets to see Leonard Cohen whose concert was in NYC last week. we watched the $65.00 tickets shyrocket to over $300.00 in less than a hour!

    Sign me up

  28. Wow who knew I thought I was alone out there when it came to getting screwed by Ticketmaster/ticketsnow.com. While facing many of the same obstacles as others have sited in the multiple complaints. I ended up getting 8 tickets when in reality I only wanted 3. There was so much going on that I never realized how many times the screen was re-routing me. Like many others I just wanted to get tickets for our family of three. As retired military you can only imagine my shock and awe when the email arrived within minutes saying that my total bill due was $2434.55 Who has that kind of money to spend on concert tickets. I immediately called our bank to try to stop the transaction. The bank told me they couldn’t because I had used my debit/credit card and the funds were promised to the seller.

    Now in a state of panic, I tried the number for TicketsNow.com listening to music for twenty minuites and when I reached someone was put on hold and when the representative came back on I was told there was nothing they could do to stop the sale. However, there was a silver lining – I could resell the tickets via TicketsNow.com including another 15% fee once they were in my pocession. I was horrified. Thinking that the tickets would arrive quickly since they were being sent via “FED-EX” I had people waiting at my house at all times when I wasn’t home so that someone could sign for the tickets as they told me that they would require a signature.

    For two weeks I waited and /or had someone in my home. My Dad is terminally ill and I am leaving this week for Indiana. The only thing I wanted to do is sell the extra five I don’t need before I leave and put the over paid cash back in my account. Time is critical.

    I called again after the two weeks and explained that I had no idea where the tickets were and could some please help me. The rep was friendly enough but informed me that the tickets had not been sent out yet. I told him my situation, and he said he would get the tickets cut and sent. Three days later they arrived, I cried when the face value said the ticket really was $95.00, how the heck could anyone charge the final price of $304.32 per ticket when the ticket was really only $95.00 per ticket according to the price on each ticket. If my husband was not a die hard fan, following Bruce’s whole career, dragging The Boss’s cd’s through his tour to Middle East I would have never got the THREE tickets let alone EIGHT!!! Please let me give you my Order Number to verify this purchase 7-11145. Should you need any further info or UPC codes please contact me immediately as I have to go take care of my father. Won’t return to Colorado Springs until the 7th of April. Did you want that ticket number too? Will be awaiting your response, and would appreciate the opportunity to perhaps recoup the above ticket face value that TicketMaster has taken. A. Deubach

  29. [...] Submitted on 2009/02/24 at 3:39am [...]

  30. I think you should also add The Dead tickets to this law suit. The same thing hapened when I tried to purchase tickets to the Dead earlier this year. I was online within the first minute of the online sale and there were 0 tickets available. Instead of the “no more tickets available” message popping up, the tickets now site popped up. I did not buy tickets because I couldn’t afford them at that price.

    This goes way beyond a computer glitch redirecting you to ticketsnow. It’s ticketmaster posting the tix directly to ticketsnow and then selling them for a premium. The other option is proving all tickets to brokers who post on ticketsnow and proving 0-5% of tickets to the public.

  31. I have written many letters to Congressman and representatives about this practice, which is scalping. I would be happy to join the lawsuit, so that the working people can go to concerts just like the rich. I couldnt even afford to take my son to a football game because tickets were all bought up and were being resold on stubhub at triple the price. I hope something will be done sooner than later…

  32. It is about freaking time!!!! I have e-mailed a lot of bands and have begged for help, all to no avail. Myself and at least 25 people I know were all online before 10 am to get Phish tickets. We were all… I mean every, single one of us… denied and then redirected to Ticketsnow.com and offered $48.50 tickets for $193. All of this was within six minutes of the onsale time. Needless to say, Phish did not respond. I have never missed a Phish tour since 1994. Unfortunately, it looks like I will miss this one. Thanks a whole lot Ticketmaster. My e-mail is Rosavicious at hotmail dot com. I will offer my services in any way that I can.

  33. Please add my name to the class action lawsuit. On February 8, 2009, I went to the Ticketmaster site to purchase 2 tickets to the Bruce Springsteen show on April 10th in Denver. I was immediately redirected to TicketsNow and purchased tickets there. When my tickets arrived I was shocked to see that I paid double the face value for each ticket. I was taken by a bait and switch scam. I paid $449.65 for 2 tickets with a face value of $95 each. What a rip off. I have contacted customer service for TicketsNow and they deny the redirect.

  34. By the way….if everyone would have saved screenshots of their online experiences with ticketmaster we would have a lot easier of a time proving misconduct.

  35. i purchased Elton john and billy joel for almost 600.00 over the asking price from ticketsnow- robbery that’s how i feel- just another scam played on the people

  36. Rome is burning folks… If this isn’t a perfect example of what’s wrong in America due to corporate greed, I don’t know what is.

    I’ve hated the practices of Ticketbastard long before now, and believe its only because Rome is finally burning (it was enviable), that an artist like Springsteen and common people, are finally revolting – Let’s not kid ourselves, if credit was still flowing freely artists an consumers alike would be to busy consuming to take a stand.

    This practice by Ticketbastard isn’t anything new folks.

    Rather, like the Wall Street scum and their ilk, Ticketbastard has become more and more arrogant and have decided to just come out in the open with their own scalping system rather than than former relationships with ticket “brokers” in those States where the practice is legal.

    I recall back in the 90’s being on line and, on the phone (at my cost!… no Toll Free number with Ticketbastard) the minute tickets were released only to find the show “instantly” sold out and or, they would only had nose bleed tix to offer within minutes, of the sale commencing.

    Strangely… As the show date true nearer, mysteriously, tickets in prime locations popped up on Ticketbastard when the “brokers” couldn’t move them.

    I have too many examples to cite but a particular Sting show comes to mind… I bought tix 2 days before the show that were the exact row and seat numbers offered by an on line Broker for $ 495.00 for weeks leading up to the show– I bought them for $ 85.00 face value (plus various additional fees known as “convenience charges”)

    Hopefully there is a special place in Hell for the owners of Ticketbastard… If there’s any room left.

  37. I hope any class action will cover not only Springsteen tickets as I was scammed for Allman Brothers. The practices of Ticketmaster/Ticketsnow are so questionable its hart to understand why they aren’t fixing it in house, but leaving it to fester. I attend 10-15 shows annually. Enough said.

  38. Believe it or not they did the same thing when we booked for the Britney Spears concert. Ticketmaster sold us 169$ seats which were front and center however through tickets now we got $39 seats in the nose bleed section. we are disputing the charge with AMEX but we think this is a scam that ticketmaster is doing with everyone.

  39. I too was one of the people in Denver that got screwed on this whole redirecting! I bought $95 tickets for $165 not knowing that this was not face value. WHAT A JOKE! Count me in for the class action lawsuit!

  40. When I purchased tickets for the summer Phish tour I went on the ticketmaster site and was automatically routed to Ticketsnow and purchased 2 tickets for $300!
    Please add me to your list. I would love to be part of a Class action suit.

  41. Please contact me about joining in the this class action suit. I OVERPAID to sit behind the stage for the upcoming Verizon Center show. I could have purchased much better seats later for less money. I hate this show already and it hasn’t even happened. I’m so disappointed I really don’t even want to go now.

  42. I was online with Ticketmaster 20 minutes before the Denver Bruce Springsteen tickets went on sale-at 10:00 I was clicked in-I asked for best available-I was on hold for 10 minutes and then tickets were sold out. I had to buy TERRIBLE section 3 tickets for $163 each….my choice was to pay tons or not go to the concert…I got screwed by ticketmaster.

  43. Same thing happened to us in Denver. Our $95 tickets cost us almost $200 when we were redirected. Count me in as part of the class action lawsuit.

  44. Now instead of bait and switch they (livenation) when purchasing tickets on line you automatically have to pay a parking fee $6 and a ticket fee of $14.90 a ticket. So a $75 ticket cost me $95.90 and I had no choice but to pay the $6 and $14.90!!!

  45. I had the same problem. I can discuss in detail if need be. Please contact me about the suit.
    Thanks

  46. I tried to get tickets too but was redirected to tickemaster’s rip off site. Furthermore, I was on line to get those tickets the second the tickets went on sale…..I would wait and wait and then get redirected. I want to be part of the class action!! Thanks!!

  47. is there a class action suit to join? this exact thing happened to me for phish. i did everything right and tried to order tickets when they went on sale. they were sold out in 10minutes, however there were plenty of tickets at inflated prices on Stubhub.com. how can that happen? someone is screwing us. how do I join the lawsuit?


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