The recent complaints from fans about Ticketmaster fees during The Cure’s “Verified Fan” sale for tickets to their upcoming tour have caught the attention of the band’s frontman, Robert Smith. Taking to Twitter, Smith expressed his disgust about the situation and promised to look into it further.
“I am as sickened as you all are by today’s Ticketmaster ‘Fees’ debacle,” wrote Smith. “To be very clear: The artist has no way to limit them. I have been asking how they are justified. If I get anything coherent by way of an answer, I will let you all know.”
Smith’s response comes after The Cure announced their decision to use Ticketmaster’s “Verified Fan” system as a way to combat scalping and ensure more face-value tickets end up in the hands of fans. However, the band opted out of the company’s dynamic pricing and “Platinum” tickets, calling the program “a greedy scam” that resulted in tickets for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band’s current tour skyrocketing to thousands of dollars.
The music industry has been keeping a close eye on Ticketmaster’s business practices recently, with the company facing multiple lawsuits, a Senate hearing, and allegations of fraud. Last year, Ticketmaster was accused of shutting out legitimate ticket holders from a Bad Bunny concert in Mexico City due to “unprecedented” fraud.
Furthermore, the Justice Department opened an antitrust investigation into Live Nation Entertainment in 2019, the company formed after Live Nation and Ticketmaster merged in 2010, for potential abuse of power. The investigation followed an earlier finding that the company had repeatedly violated a 10-year consent decree signed after the merger to refrain from monopolistic practices.
Despite these controversies, The Cure continues to tour, with their last studio album being 2008’s “4:13 Dream.” Last year, the band reissued their 1992 LP “Wish.” Additionally, Robert Smith has collaborated with Gorillaz and remixed songs for Chvrches, Deftones, and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds.
It remains to be seen whether Ticketmaster will respond to Smith’s concerns, but the issue of ticket fees continues to be a thorn in the side of fans and artists alike. As the music industry continues to evolve, it’s likely that this issue will remain at the forefront of discussions surrounding the relationship between fans, artists, and ticketing companies.
