Brother Neil’s Price-Inflating Ticket Scalping Scheme

Because we covered the repeal of scalping laws so heavily awhile back (and I like to think our blog entries played a very small part in Missouri’s silly law being changed), I had to link to this Wall Street Journal article, which I found via the Kansas City Star. It turns out that many of the biggest beneficiaries of free-market ticket exchanges are artists themselves, who withhold some choice seats for sale in select online ticket exchanges.

I see nothing illegal with this; the title of this post is more meant in fun than anger. It is, however, unseemly that so many artists do what is plainly ticket scalping while making it appear that they are just fans exchanging tickets with each other for whatever price buyers want to pay. A more up-front policy is needed, but I don’t think it has to be legislated. I don’t think it is a crime that someone thought the $1,000 they spent to see one of the greatest bands of all time went to a stranger, when it really went to the band, but it is still improper.

If U2 wanted to charge me more to sit in the front row on the stage-left aisle for their 1987 Joshua Tree tour when it came to St. Louis, they could have just told me that up front. Instead, they made me go and win the ticket lottery, which was totally awesome.

P.S. — And now you know what my favorite bands are. Plus, you can add in all the classic rock greats, but you could have guessed that.