Bad blood with Ticketmaster

Taylor Swift fans know heartbreak all too well following an issue-filled ticket sale

COMMENTARY BY CAMILA PEREZ-CLAVARINO, STAFF WRITER

Taylor

Swift fans’ wildest dreams came true with the announcement of the artist’s upcoming Eras Tour. I and many other fans were prepared to do whatever we could to experience the closest thing to a spiritual awakening: a Taylor Swift concert. Unfortunately, most were left with sweet nothing when tragedy struck during Ticketmaster’s sale of tickets, with long wait times and website glitches, causing Swifties to turn red. Government officials, however, were more concerned about the potential violation of antitrust laws by Ticketmaster’s parent company.

Swift announced that there would be three opportunities to get tickets to her upcoming tour: two presales, one open only to select fans and the other to those with a Capital One card, and a general sale, which is open to all. When entering these sales, fans must wait in a queue before they can begin selecting tickets. According to Ticketmaster, millions applied for the first presale, and the lucky ones, including myself, were selected and sent a code needed to enter the sale. The first sale occurred on Nov. 15, 2022, and after an excruciating six-hour-long staredown between me and the message telling me there were “2000+ people ahead of you” in the queue, my code did not work. Fans encountered numerous other glitches, such as when some were about to complete their purchases, believing they were out of the woods, they were kicked off the site and forced to rejoin the queue, as reported by the Washington Post. Ticketmaster blamed these issues on unexpected site traffic, though Swift later stated that she had been assured by Ticketmaster that they were ready for it and could handle the demand. h

“Ticketmaster is the one who chose how many people got selected for the presale, so how can they say they didn’t expect the demand?” senior Sophie Gonzalez said. Although these problems left many fans ticketless after the first two presales, they were ready to continue the great war in general sales. However, the hope of it all was lost when Ticketmaster announced that they were canceled due to lack of inventory. Upon hearing the news, I wondered how Ticketmaster could be so casually cruel in the name of being honest.

The indignation toward Ticketmaster began due to fans’ haunted experiences during ticket sales, but quickly grew into a complication regarding the legality of Ticketmaster’s merger with Live Nation, formerly the world’s largest concert promoter, in 2010. As fans began to make their complaints public, lawmakers also began to speak out against Ticketmaster, claiming it was engaging in illicit affairs through a monopoly on the live music industry that violates anti-trust laws.

“Ticketmaster is using fans’ love for their favorite artists to extort high payments from them,” junior Jasmine Brizo said.

The results of the legal affairs involving the company have yet to be revealed, so we do not know if Ticketmaster’s monopoly will last evermore. Nonetheless, one thing is clear: Swifties and Ticketmaster are never getting back together… like ever.

My Resolutions

COMMENTARY BY AVA VOLMAN, OPINION EDITOR

Everyone knows the phrase “new year, new me,” but I’m taking it to another level. I, like everyone else on the planet, have never onced followed through with my new years resolutions, but this year, I can feel something will be different. I am determined to make 2023 my year and here’s how it’s going to go down.

First off, the CAF&DM field day trophy is as good as ours. highlights staff has taken it upon ourselves to start a rigorous military training program fit for Navy SEALs, and we are determined to bring the glory back to highlights athletics. Once our pull-up bar is installed, it’s over for all of the other publications.

Secondly, I will make sure to dominate everyone in my contacts in Word Hunt. If I have your phone number, you can run but you can’t hide. Soon enough you’ll feel my Word Hunt wrath and realize what it truly feels like to be devastatingly humbled.

Lastly, I am going to do everything in my power to secure the prestigious honor of being dubbed highlights’s littest editor. I know I have some tough competition, but with a few more layouts and a couple of sleepless nights, I guarantee I’ll secure my rightfully-deserved position. Also, I’m sure I can bribe Maria Jose Cestero into submission.

In reality, I really do want to make 2023 one of the best years yet. I am determined to pursue my goals, resolutions or not, and make a lifetime’s worth of memories.

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