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☆ Live Nation posts $3.1 billion revenue and record attendance despite controversies Live Nation posts $3.1 billion revenue and record attendance despite controversies
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —Live Nation posted a record $3.1 billion in revenue – up 73% from last year – in the first quarter of 2023, despite possible regulation and tremendous fallout from botched Ticketmaster sales for the Taylor Swift Eras tour. In an earnings release, the ticket-industry giant said over 19 million people attended events across 45 countries in the first quarter. In a single day last November, more than two million Taylor Swift tickets were sold on Live Nation’s Ticketmaster, a record for any artist. Live Nation stock rose about 15% on the news, to close at about $77 a share. Congressional hearingsLawmakers grilled Live Nation president and CFO Joe Berchtold in a three-hour hearing in January, alleging the ticketing giant wields too much monopolistic control over the industry.

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☆ Royal fans slam Ticketmaster for a confusing ballot system that has left them without tickets to King Charles III's coronation concert
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Fans were told they had won tickets for King Charles' coronation concert in the final ballot. This was the third and final ballot for a total of 10,000 concert tickets. It was made up of those tickets left unclaimed from the previous two ballots, a Ticketmaster spokesperson said in a statement emailed to Insider. The Ticketmaster spokesperson said that Tuesday's tickets were "released on a first-come, first-served basis to those who had previously applied to the ballot (and were unsuccessful). The BBC, which is organizing the Coronation concert, did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

☆ BYD lowers starting price for Seagull electric hatchback
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies BYD Co Ltd FollowSHANGHAI, April 26 (Reuters) - Chinese electric car maker BYD (002594.SZ) has set the starting price for its Seagull hatchback at 73,800 yuan ($10,658.89), about 6.3% lower than its initial advertised price, its website showed. The vehicle attracted significant attention at the Shanghai auto show at a price starting from 78,800 yuan - half the price of the cheapest new energy vehicles available elsewhere. It had advertised the two versions at 78,800 yuan and 83,800 yuan during the auto show. The company's longer-range version will be priced at 89,800 yuan, down from the 95,800 yuan advertised at the show. ($1 = 6.9238 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Brenda Goh Editing by David GoodmanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ YouTube has revealed its NFL Sunday Ticket pricing — and it won't come cheap
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Will Gendron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Last year, YouTube secured the rights to NFL Sunday Ticket. Pricing will begin at $249 for YouTube TV subscribers and go up to $489 for non-subscribers. In a press release, YouTube announced that it is offering pre-sale packages to Sunday Ticket starting at $249 for YouTube TV subscribers and going up to $349 for non-subscribers. Afterwards, the price jumps up by $50 for YouTube TV subscribers and $100 for non-subscribers. Here is a breakdown of the pricing structure:Sunday Ticket via YouTube TV: $349/season ($249 presale)Sunday Ticket + NFL RedZone via YouTube TV: $389/season ($289 presale)Sunday Ticket via YouTube Primetime Channels: $449/season ($349 presale)Sunday Ticket + NFL RedZone via YouTube Primetime Channels: $489/season ($389 presale)YouTube TV subscribers can also get access to RedZone through the Sports Plus add-on, which costs $10.99 per month.

☆ YouTube reveals prices of NFL Sunday Ticket subscription
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 11 (Reuters) - Alphabet Inc's (GOOGL.O) YouTube said on Tuesday its pricing plans for the Sunday Ticket package of National Football League (NFL) games will be between $249 and $489. In a blog post, YouTube said the full season of Sunday Ticket will be available for a presale offer price of $249 - $100 cheaper than the retail price - for people who subscribe to YouTube TV's base video-service plan. Consumers who want the Sunday games package without a subscription to YouTube TV's other offerings will have to pay $449, while a bundle consisting of Sunday Ticket and NFL Redzone is available at a retail price of $489 for the season. Joining deep-pocketed companies that sought to grow their dominance in live sports streaming, YouTube in December signed a multi-year deal to exclusively stream the NFL's Sunday Ticket package of games in the United States. Sunday Ticket lets subscribers watch all local and out-of-market U.S. games of the day, while football fans otherwise in any given market can only watch a limited number of games.

New York CNN —Taylor Swift fans headed to court in Los Angeles Monday to face off against Ticketmaster after the ticketing giant fumbled online sales to the mega-star’s latest tour. Ticketmaster and parent-company Live Nation face a lawsuit from Swifties across the country filed in December for “unlawful conduct” in the pop star’s chaotic tour sale. The lawsuit alleges Ticketmaster and its parent company were anti-competitive, imposing higher prices on fans in the presale, sale and resale market. It’s the only place to get tickets,” Swift fan Penny Harrison told CNN. Pre-sale tickets for “The Eras Tour” frustrated Swift fans across the country in a debacle that stayed in the headlines for weeks.

☆ Ticketmaster is looking for a new social media director, and it's asking the hire to be 'brave' after months of fury from fans
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Rebecca Cohen | Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Ticketmaster is hiring a Director of Social, and the company is asking bravery of the new hire. Posted five days ago on LinkedIn, Ticketmaster is searching for a social media expert to take over its North America marketing leadership team. Months of messy ticket sales led by Ticketmaster have put the massive entertainment sales site under the microscope. The ticketing debacle even prompted a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing titled "That's the Ticket: Promoting Competition and Protecting Consumers in Live Entertainment," where a bipartisan group of senators grilled Joe Berchtold, the president and CFO of Live Nation Entertainment. "For too long, Live Nation and Ticketmaster have wielded monopoly power anticompetitively, harming fans and artists alike."

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☆ The problem with home-flipping giants
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Aj Latrace | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Meanwhile, the corporate scalpers of the housing market — companies that buy and relist homes by the thousands without doing much, if any, work on them to make a profit — are struggling. Last week, two of the biggest remaining corporate home-flipping companies, Opendoor and Offerpad, reported dismal earnings, another sign that their business model is incredibly risky. Kelman also said one "problem is that iBuying is a staggering amount of money and risk for a now-uncertain benefit. At its core, the main business model of home-flipping firms doesn't create a ton of immediate value. Opendoor, Offerpad, and other companies that rushed to purchase homes are now discounting the asking prices of those homes to get them off their books.

☆ I started an Instagram fan page for luxury watches and turned it into an $8 million resale business — here's how
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Claire Turrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

He launched the company in 2020 and opened a brick-and-mortar store in a mall in Hong Kong in 2021. When I was being interviewed by Hypebeast in Hong Kong, I met my future cofounder and ecommerce expert Sean Wong. By July 2020, Sean had left his job, and I'd moved to Hong Kong to launch the brand. The Wristcheck store in the Landmark Atrium mall in Hong Kong. By November 2022, we'd raised $8 million, with our lead investors being Gobi Partners, who manage the Alibaba Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Investment Fund.

☆ Beyoncé’s Ticket Sales Are Ticketmaster’s Next Test After Taylor Swift
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Anne Steele | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Ticket sales to Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour will serve as a closely watched test for Ticketmaster in the wake of its bungled sales of Taylor Swift tickets late last year. On Tuesday, a series of presale tickets to Beyoncé shows in certain cities will become available to Citi credit-card holders before ticket sales open up to more fans in a series of staggered sales. A limited number of tickets to some shows went on sale Monday for a portion of Beyoncé’s superfans, known collectively as the BeyHive, with no initial reports of significant technical problems.

☆ The Senate Judiciary Committee says it's 'watching' Ticketmaster as the battle for Beyoncé tickets begins
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Rebecca Cohen | Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Senate Judiciary Committee is "watching" Ticketmaster as tickets are about to go on sale for Beyoncé's upcoming tour. But the Senate Judiciary Committee has warned the embattled platform against having a repeat of the Taylor Swift ticket fiasco. "We're watching, @Ticketmaster," the Senate Judiciary Committee tweeted Thursday. But, in that Senate Judiciary Committee meeting last month, some senators argued Ticketmaster — which merged with Live Nation in 2010 — holds a monopoly over the ticket-buying business. Lawmakers and witnesses repeatedly hammered Live Nation Entertainment over the impact of its 2010 merger, which combined Live Nation and Ticketmaster into the larger firm.

☆ Ticketmaster braces for Beyoncé's 'Renaissance' tour amid fears of Taylor Swift-level demand
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Stefan Sykes | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Ticketmaster is gearing up for what's expected to be high demand for tickets to Beyoncé's upcoming "Renaissance World Tour," as the ticketing giant continues to face criticism over the botched presale for Taylor Swift's "Eras" tour last year. Beyoncé announced Wednesday that her first solo world tour since 2016 will kick off May 10 in Stockholm, Sweden, and conclude Sept. 27 in New Orleans. Registration windows vary by city, and the company warns "there will be more demand than there are tickets available." In November, verified fans for Taylor Swift's "Eras" tour presale faced long wait times, confusion and technical glitches. Within 48 hours of the presale going live, Ticketmaster canceled the general public sale, citing "extraordinarily high demands on ticketing systems and insufficient remaining ticket inventory to meet that demand."

How to get Citi presale tickets for Beyoncé's Renaissance World TourSince demand for Beyoncé's tour is so high, she's using Verified Fan to help boost your shot of getting tickets. How to sign up for Citi Verified Fan Registration Visit the ticketing website during the registration period and choose which group you'd like to move forward with for Citi Verified Fan Registration. The Citi presale will run from Feb. 7 at 10 a.m. through Feb. 8 at 6 p.m., or while supplies last. The Citi presale will run from Feb. 7 at 10 a.m. through Feb. 8 at 6 p.m., or while supplies last. The Citi presale will run from Feb. 14 at 10 a.m. through Feb. 15 at 6 p.m., or while supplies last.

☆ They Poured Their Savings Into Homes That Were Never Built
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Isabelle Qian | Agnes Chang | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +13 min

We talked to four people who emptied their life savings and took out huge loans for homes that have not been completed. “It was a simple dream — to have a home, a family,” Mr. Tang said. Mr. Tang, who works in a restaurant, sold a small place he had out in the countryside. “When I think about the unfinished apartment, it’s as if I’m falling from heaven to hell, ” Mr. Tang said. Homeowners atop one of the unfinished apartment towers call for construction to fully resume.

Amy Edwards demonstrates against the live entertainment ticket industry outside the U.S. Capitol January 24, 2023 in Washington, DC. The Senate Judiciary Committee slammed concert giant Live Nation on Tuesday, calling on activists and artists to speak to competition in the ticketing industry following a botched sale of Taylor Swift tickets in November. Opponents intensified their complaints in November when presale tickets for Swift's Eras Tour were plagued by disruptions and slow queues. Live Nation was supposed to open up sales for 1.5 million verified fans ahead of general public ticket sales. The Justice Department has opened an antitrust investigation into Live Nation's practices, however, that probe predates the Swift ticket sale fiasco.

☆ Live Nation CFO defends Ticketmaster, blames bots for Taylor Swift debacle
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

FILE PHOTO: The logo for Live Nation Entertainment is displayed on a screen on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., May 3, 2019. Ticketmaster has come under harsh criticism from fans and lawmakers, accusing it of having too much control over the market for concert tickets. Berchtold’s testimony said Live Nation has invested over $1 billion over the years to improve Ticketmaster. “Whether it meets the legal definition of a monopoly or not, Live Nation’s control of the live music ecosystem is staggering.”Ticketmaster has denied any anti-competitive practices and remains under a consent decree with the Justice Department following its 2010 merger with Live Nation. Live Nation included letters of support with its testimony including one from singer Garth Brooks who asked” My question is, as a country, why don’t we just make scalping illegal?

☆ Karma for Taylor Swift fans as Ticketmaster offers second chance for 'Eras Tour' tickets
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Kaetlyn Liddy | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

"We apologize for the difficulties you may have experienced, and have been asked by Taylor's team to create this additional opportunity for you to purchase tickets." The news comes one month after the public sale of Swift's "Eras Tour" was canceled due to "extraordinarily high demand." Ticketmaster claimed that 3.5 million fans pre-registered for Swift's Verified Fan program, the largest registration in its history. After they register as a "verified fan," Ticketmaster provides them with a code and a link to the purchase site. When tickets go on sale, the link leads fans to a "Smart Queue" that "keeps ticket bots out."

☆ Ticketmaster is in hot water — again — and facing a fine after an 'unprecedented' number of people were sold fake tickets to a Bad Bunny concert
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ticketmaster apologized after an "unprecedented" number of people were sold fake Bad Bunny tickets. It follows Ticketmaster's Taylor Swift debacle last month. The ticketing platform released a statement on Saturday apologizing after an "unprecedented" number of people were sold fake tickets to a Bad Bunny concert in Mexico City. The Bad Bunny fiasco comes soon after Ticketmaster's Taylor Swift debacle. Live Nation has been facing a DOJ antitrust investigation since before the Taylor Swift fiasco, The New York Times reported last month.

I have more empathy for other peopleI think the thing I have learned most while working a retail job is how to have empathy for other people. I now know what it's like to work retail, and how hard it can be. If I'm working a long shift, my legs and back hurt by the time I get home. Whenever I go to restaurants now, I make sure to be extra polite to the workers, because I know that they work hard to make our experience great. Even though working my job can be hard, I'm grateful I have it, and I'm grateful for the lessons it has taught me.

☆ Taylor Swift Tickets: How Many Might Be Left?
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Anne Steele | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

When historic demand for presale tickets to Taylor Swift ‘s next tour overwhelmed Ticketmaster’s system last month, many empty-handed fans hoped they would get another crack at tickets during a sale to the general public. Then, a day before those tickets were to be offered, Ticketmaster called the sale off, citing an insufficient number of tickets to meet demand.

☆ Taylor Swift signs on to direct a movie for Disney as she campaigns for short film Oscar
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Taylor Swift accepts the Artist of the Year award onstage during the 2022 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on November 20, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. Taylor Swift has only just begun an Oscar campaign for her short film "All Too Well," and she's already struck a deal with Disney to make her feature directorial debut. The short film is based on Swift's song "All Too Well" and follows a manipulative boyfriend played by Dylan O'Brien and a young woman played by Sadie Sink as they fall in love and ultimately have a devastating breakup. The news of Swift's feature film directorial debut comes just a few months after the singer made history as the only solo artist to win two best direction awards at MTV's Video Music Awards. Ticketmaster, owned by Live Nation , was supposed to open up sales for 1.5 million verified Taylor Swift fans last month ahead of general public ticket sales.

☆ A strong China open for 'Avatar' lays the ground for a film stock rally, Morgan Stanley says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Christina Cheddar Berk | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Chinese audiences appear eager to see Disney's "Avatar: The Way of Water," according to initial ticket sales ahead of the film's Dec. 16 opening. In 2009, China accounted for only $910 million in ticket sales, but 10 years later its box office receipts swelled to $8 billion. Stage set for box office recovery Morgan Stanley's Xu expects China's box office to rebound 50% in 2023, to Rmb51 billion, with the assumption that China's reopening gains momentum in the spring. In China, there is a "rich slate of blockbuster films" ready to come to theaters, Xu said. With this in mind, Xu raised her price targets for IMAX China, Ali Pictures, Wanda Film , Enlight and China Film.

☆ Ticketmaster's botching of Taylor Swift ticket sales 'converted more Gen Z'ers into antimonopolists overnight than anything I could have done,' FTC chair says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Disastrous presales for Taylor Swift's Eras tour renewed controversy over Ticketmaster's dominance. In 2010, Ticketmaster merged with Live Nation, raising antitrust concerns. Live Nation has been facing an ongoing DOJ antitrust investigation since before the Taylor Swift-Ticketmaster saga, the New York Times reported last month. Representatives for Ticketmaster and Live Nation did not immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday morning. Former FTC policy director David Balto previously told Insider that the Eras Tour ticket crisis shows the merger's anti-competitive effects on consumers, including exorbitant fees.

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