Ticketmaster's pre-sale for the Kendrick Lamar and SZA 'Grand National Tour' has sparked widespread customer frustration, highlighting ongoing issues with the ticketing giant's practices.

Fans report multiple issues during the pre-sale process:

• Extended wait times in digital queues
• Excessive service fees (up to $60 on $159 tickets)
• High ticket prices ($350 for nosebleed seats)
• Concerns about ticket brokers getting priority access

Ticketmaster defended its practices, stating: "We never prioritize brokers over fans" and claiming significant investment in anti-scalping technology.

Current Legal Challenges:

• The U.S. Department of Justice is suing Live Nation and Ticketmaster for anticompetitive practices
• Multiple state attorneys general seek to dissolve the 2010 Live Nation/Ticketmaster merger
• The DOJ alleges monopolistic behavior through:
  • Exclusive venue agreements requiring Ticketmaster-only ticketing
  • Restrictive promotional agreements with artists and venues
  • Retaliation against competing promoters

Recent Corporate Misconduct: A former Ticketmaster executive pleaded guilty to hacking a competitor's platform (Songkick). The executive:

• Retained 85,000 confidential documents after leaving Songkick
• Shared trade secrets with Ticketmaster after joining their subsidiary
• Helped Ticketmaster refine its platform using competitor information

These ongoing issues continue to highlight concerns about Ticketmaster's market dominance and business practices in the live entertainment industry.

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