Elton and Billy
One might think with all the furor over how Ticketmaster handled the sale of Bruce Springsteen tickets earlier this month, its concert-industry brethren would be up to speed.
Not so, as Wilson Howard, president of the southeast region for concert promoter Live Nation, joined Washington Nationals owner Mark Lerner and Mayor Adrian Fenty at Nationals Park Monday to announce the first-ever concert at the ballpark: Elton John and Billy Joel on July 11.
Howard was asked how he could assure fans that Live Nation’s ticketing partner, Tickets.com, wouldn’t gouge them by immediately placing tickets in the resale market, as Springsteen fans accused Ticketmaster of doing.
“I don’t know how to answer that,” he said. “We do the best we can, and that’s really all I can say. … Pardon me for not knowing all of this.”
Nevermind that Ticketmaster is currently attempting to merge with Live Nation. Or that Live Nation President and CEO Michael Rapino is scheduled to testify to a congressional committee today on this very topic.
As they’re merely renting the venue to Live Nation, the Nationals wouldn’t comment further on the ticketing.
Howard did tell us later that he thinks the ticket prices of $56.50 to $182 were “very fair.”
