Service Fees on Tickets
By Jeff Moffitt
@moffittjc (121714)
Gainesville, Florida
October 19, 2024 8:34am CST
My daughter and I are avid hockey fans, and watch NHL hockey games all the time. Our favorite team is the Tampa Bay Lightning, whose home ice arena is about 2 hours away from where we live. We usually try to go see 5-6 games live in person each season.
Her birthday is coming up at the end of the month, and there is a home game the day after her birthday. So one of the presents I am getting her for her birthday this year is tickets to that game.
I went online to Ticketmaster and got us two great seats. The price was pretty steep (their tickets are expensive because they sellout every home game), but was about in the price range I had expected.
But what absolutely floored me was the add-on service fees when I went to checkout and pay for the tickets. The service fees alone were over $75. Service fee, handling fee, processing fee, facility fee and more. I was furious that Ticketmaster could get away with charging so many add-on fees.
And what is even more upsetting is that there are very few other options, and those other options charge just as much in service fees as Ticketmaster does.
What a scam. As much as I prefer government to stay out of our business, in this case I wish the government would step in and either outlaw this practice, or regulate it.
And why can't the advertised cost of a ticket include all those fees already, instead of them being add-ons later? It's not like I can avoid them either way.
Ugh. I feel like this is extortion.
Anybody else get as upset as I do over service fees?
9 people like this
8 responses
@wolfgirl569 (108161)
• Marion, Ohio
19 Oct
It should just be included in the price. At least then you know what to expect.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (121714)
• Gainesville, Florida
19 Oct
I thought I had read or heard somewhere where the government was going to do something about it. But obviously they didn't succeed, or have delayed taking action.
2 people like this
@RasmaSandra (80736)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
19 Oct
Service fees are a way of making extra money for people. I use my debit card and do not carry cash. One time the card machine was not working and I had to take money from an ATM and that carged me fro service $4.50
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121714)
• Gainesville, Florida
20 Oct
ATM fees are another disgusting add-on fee, just like many other bank fees.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342112)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Oct
This was discussed on our Four Corners the other night. Live Nation have all the ticketing outlets, dozens of venues, and many agents all in their control and are raking in a fortune. The subject of add-on fees came up there too. It's disgusting. Just so greedy and underhand.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121714)
• Gainesville, Florida
20 Oct
It is disgusting no matter how you look at it. Companies like Live Nation and Ticketmaster should be heavily regulated.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121714)
• Gainesville, Florida
20 Oct
@JudyEv I did a little research this morning on Live Nation. It turns out that they do more than just sell tickets. They actually own and operate most of the larger arenas and music venues as well, and even manage many musical acts as well.
The US federal government filed an antitrust lawsuit this past May against Live Nation, alleging they have a monopoly on the music industry. If the government is successful in their lawsuit against Live Nation, they may force them to break up into several smaller companies or force them to sell off some of their business in order to level the playing field and increase competition in the industry.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342112)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Oct
@moffittjc Because they can't compete, a lot of smaller venues are closing down so up-and-coming entertainers have nowhere to go.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (181717)
• United States
20 Oct
I agree with you 1,000%. I thought I remembered something about the government trying to outlaw all those fees? $75 is outrageous. Have a good day.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121714)
• Gainesville, Florida
20 Oct
Several myLotters have commented that the government is currently trying to outlaw the ridiculous fees. I hope they come up with something that prevents companies from gouging us like that.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (181717)
• United States
21 Oct
@moffittjc Yes, it's definitely gouging.
1 person likes this
@thislittlepennyearns (62929)
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
19 Oct
You haven't heard the big lawsuit between Ticketmaster and the outrageous fees with Taylor Swift.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121714)
• Gainesville, Florida
20 Oct
No, I definitely have not heard about any lawsuit. As soon as I hear the name Taylor Swift, I completely tune out whatever is said after that. Lol
@RebeccasFarm (90474)
• Arvada, Colorado
19 Oct
I totally agree..what we were just discussing those blinking fees.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121714)
• Gainesville, Florida
19 Oct
Curse those fees! Maybe I should send Ticketmaster a bill for a service fee. I'll call it the "anxiety fee" and "anger fee."
@FourWalls (69013)
• United States
19 Oct
Aren’t they currently in litigation with the federal government over those exorbitant service fees? Seems to me they were also hit by the feds back in the early 90s for the same thing.
That was a great thing about the Navy: they sold tickets to concerts on the base, and Ticketmaster was NOT allowed to charge a service fee. So I got my $12.50 front-row seat to Crosby, Stills, and Nash for….$12.50.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121714)
• Gainesville, Florida
20 Oct
Wow, that was awesome that concerts for the military service members didn’t have any extra fees!
I know there have been some bands over the years that have protested the service fees by refusing to play at venues controlled by Ticketmaster or Live Nation.
1 person likes this
