Oh noes, the giant corporation might miss out on tens of dollars after charging exorbitant fees! Maybe they shouldn't leave seats in odd numbers at all then.
Dude, what the fuck? You're also leaving dozens of seats that actual people won't want to buy, effectively canceling out a portion of available tickets. I really don't see why you're whining about this.
What the fuck are you talking about? I tried to buy tickets from a site that said tickets were available. Then it said I didn't buy enough tickets.
Seems like you've been licking too many corporate boots to understand this post. Maybe you can buy the extra ticket for me if you feel so strongly about the poor monopolies.
There’s plenty of other seats you can pick that don’t leave a single seat out there. If everyone had their choice they’d have an empty seat between every group of people going to the show. This is to prevent that and perfectly reasonable.
That's not an apt comparison and while I definitely think it should reach a point in ticket sales where they turn this feature off (about leaving single seats), we both know that people would absolutely leave single seats all over the place if they could (I do it when I go to the movies).
Im also fairly certain that this is analytically driven and been shown to cause less tickets to be sold, which is most likely worse for everyone (not just ticketmaster/the venue).
There are things to call out monopolies on or hate for big corporations, but this is an instance where it may actually be a better overall outcome.
Why not? I want space next to me when I fly. And if only a single seat is left I'd prefer to sit next to a friend rather than a stranger. Why are airlines allowed to break up couples and a show venue isn't? And how is a movie different? Wouldn't you feel frustrated if movie theaters had this policy?
Hell, why shouldn't everything come in pairs? If I go to a restaurant with a friend and order 2 of the remaining 3 steaks, should they not sell them to me because it would require one lonely person to order the final one?
All cinemas I've booked tickets from (as in, directly, through their own system or via the phone all retro) have always done this. Maybe it's different in the US, granted. But not leaving single seats open is a nearly universal rule here.
I mean they are fundamentaly different businesses. Additionally, given demand for flights, airlines know they'll sell their seats regardless of configuration, because you're primarily buying transit not an experience. However, for venues, they seem to believe that single seats won't sell (and I suspect that's backed by data they've collected).
Also, to be pedantic, restaurants do have stipulations about the quantity of steak you buy, it's just broken down by Ounces. If they only sell 16oz steaks you probably aren't going to be able to order a 10 Oz steak. If you wanted 10oz you'll be stuck with an extra 6oz exactly like with the seats.
What airline does this? I can see a concert or something like how I posted above getting away w it when the seats are 50 or 100 USD, but an airline saying you have to buy an extra $1000 or $2000 ticket is absolutely bananas to me. At prices like that I'd happily break up my party than even remotely consider buying an extra seat.
Wait. Your first comment wasn't sarcasm? Or is this one as well? I'm having trouble believing that anyone besides Ticketmaster would honestly feel that way.
If it's a popular enough show, there will be a single person out there who will still be willing to buy the seat. Or a group who is fine with being split up and will just take whatever seats are left.
If it's not a popular show, then what exactly is the fucking problem?
People like this and the ones who responded to you aren't thinking. They see the words Ticketmaster or Corporation and immediately lose any sense of higher-level reasoning - they just start metaphorically foaming at the mouth. Other trigger words: libs/trump/edison/GMO/coal/big tech/ you get the picture
On topic to the OP -
it's not Ticketmaster setting these rules, it's the venue
they probably had the seating rule listed somewhere along the process and you just skipped over it
Thanks for proving my point. Taking two seconds to think about the trigger word list I put out would lead to the conclusion that no-one would support all of them.
But yea, pop off trying to get a gotcha in. More power to you.
You’re ignoring the relationship Ticketmaster plays with big venues. They collude and often serve as a lightning rod for anger for the venues, they deserve the ire. I might agree if this was an indie venue but it’s owned by MSG group and is thus absolutely a party to Ticketmaster’s BS.
I'm not ignoring it but as you said, their role is to play the lightning rod. Why on earth are people falling for the lightning rod even after knowing about it and not complaining about the venue. Every single comment here is blaming the fall-guy exactly as designed. Why should they ever change their strategy - it's working exactly as they want.
I’ve got plenty of not nice things to say about TM, MSG, and James Dolan. They all deserve it. Unfortunately as you’ve said, the only option when you decide not to play their bs is to not go. We need better antitrust enforcement in this country.