Ticketmaster/Live Nation
The Only Game in Town (By Design)
$23B
Value Extracted
8
Key Initiatives
The Story
Ticketmaster came to us with a simple problem: they only controlled 70% of the live event market. We helped them understand that monopoly power isn't just about market share—it's about making the extraction so normalized that customers blame artists instead of the platform.
Key Achievements
Pioneered 'dynamic pricing' that charges fans $800 for $95 face-value tickets
Invented junk fees so byzantine that the FTC had to create the 'Junk Fee Rule'
Built exclusive venue contracts that lock out all competition
Created a scalper ecosystem then 'fought' scalping by becoming the biggest scalper
Crashed so spectacularly during Taylor Swift sales that Congress held hearings
Merged with Live Nation to control both ticketing AND venues (vertical integration speedrun)
Made 'service fees' + 'facility charges' + 'order processing fees' seem normal
Triggered a federal antitrust lawsuit co-signed by 40 states (achievement unlocked!)
EnshitifAi showed us that when you're the only option, every fee is a 'convenience' fee.
Definitely Not a Monopolist
Chief Experience Extraction Officer
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