Ticketmaster/Live Nation merger: survey finds industry turning against the plan

A recent poll shows a clear majority of members of the primary ticketing industry are turning against the potential Live Nation/Ticketmaster merger.

The poll was conducted by Ticketrends, "a global online research and resource center which presents cutting edge trends and best practices in the areas of access control, customer relationship management and ticketing for over 18 market segments," according to its Web site. Its members include Comcast Spectacor and Clear Channel.

"Ticketmaster & Live Nation – Monopoly?" the web-based poll asked. As of Friday, June 5, of those who responded, 65.9 percent of voters said yes, "This must be stopped ASAP," while 15.4 percent said, "Let them merge with restriction." Another 9.9 percent said, "No monopoly – no problem," and 8.8 percent voted that the merger "is good for everyone." A total of 91 people participated in the online poll.


The poll is unique in that participants came solely from the primary ticket industry, which includes Live Nation, Ticketmaster, and major sports leagues, artists, and artist's associations. While opposition to the merger from the secondary market is no surprise, the Ticketrends poll highlights opposition within the primary market.

Brian Sikorski, editor-in-chief of Ticketrends, called the responses "statistically valid. This with the quality of people voting—meaning those mostly likely directly involved in the ticketing industry—would lead me to say that this is representative of the entire industry."

"It is obviously a hot and critical issue for many of our members," he said. "As the voice of the primary ticket market, the polls reflect the temperature of our membership."