Fumble: Ticketmaster’s ‘no comment’

On the list of corporate entities people love to hate, one can safely number Ticketmaster in amongst the banks, airlines and oil companies. What they all have in common is a perceived control of the marketplace in the areas in which they deal, and Ticketmaster’s ownership of a large chunk of live event ticket sales – plus airline-like surcharges and fees over and above the base ticket price – gives it a special unhappy place in the hearts of many concert-goers. There were numerous comments along the lines of “it’s about time” when first one and then a second class-action lawsuit was launched against Ticketmaster on behalf of fans who felt burned by their purchase experiences. Media had no trouble getting loads of colourful quotes from lawyer Jay Strosberg who filed the suit, and ditto for numerous unhappy customers. Yet Ticketmaster, which is in the throes of merger talks with Live Nation aimed at becoming an even bigger player in live event ticketing, has said absolutely nothing thus far. It’s “no comment” without using the words, and in a situation where there’s a hot story on the go and all of your critics are accusing you of unsavoury practices, by saying nothing you will most likely end up coming across as if you had said at least one word: “guilty.” Now, I stress that none of the allegations contained in the class action suits have been tested in court, but in the court of public opinion, it’s a Fumble for Ticketmaster to stay mum when all else about them are piling on. They don’t need to – and shouldn’t – comment on the specifics of the case filed against them, but a declaration of an intention to defend Ticketmaster’s reputation and some kind of high-road statement about the way they do business would be a place to start at a bare minimum.