Today, we bow down to the Ticketmaster gods while waiting in line for Taylor Swift's Eras Tour tickets. But as we make our way through the virtual queue, let's talk about the fans of the past. In this episode of Thick & Thin, I reveal the history of buying concert tickets and the start of the infamous Ticketmaster service charge. Cause, in the end, is the ex ... Show More
May 2023
The dangers of future-tripping (Encore episode)
Cheers to the present! We will never be able to tell the future, so why spend the energy worrying about it? In this episode of Thick & Thin, my goal is to stop wasting my time trying to control the narrative, but sometimes the anticipatory anxiety and endless what-ifs, win. Thank ... Show More
33m 37s
Nov 2022
Ticket scalpers and the Taylor Swift fiasco (Encore)
For most people, buying scalped tickets may be the only way to see Taylor Swift's Eras tour. Thanks, Ticketmaster. But economically speaking, the resale market is more complicated than it seems.
For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Mon ... Show More
8m 27s
Feb 2023
How Ticketmaster created its maligned ticket fee system
Former Ticketmaster CEO Fred Rosen explains how fees gave Ticketmaster a leg up in the live events industry and why we're unlikely to see a competitor charging less than Ticketmaster.
Join our guest host, Mark Dent (Writer at The Hustle), and guest, Fred Rosen (ex-CEO of Ticketma ... Show More
31m 55s
Nov 2022
The Taylor Swift Ticketmaster Debacle, Explained
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to dive deep into the chaos of trying to buy tickets to Taylor Swift’s newly announced Era’s Tour. They discuss who is to blame for the Ticketmaster meltdown, detail the process of setting ticket prices for concerts, and speculate on how T ... Show More
28m 35s
Mar 2024
Taylor Swift vs The World | Ticketmaster Trouble | 4
When Taylor Swift began planning The Eras Tour, she probably didn't expect to be at the forefront of an antitrust battle that could decide the future of concerts in the U.S. But the battle for Taylor Swift tickets leads Swift, her fans, and Senators into a tussle with Ticketmaste ... Show More
38m 55s
May 2024
#74 | books we want to be re-adapted asap!
Christine Riccio & Natasha Polis talk all things nerdy in the book, tv, movie, pop culture, fandoms, and how they integrate into their adult lives. Today they’re discussing books that need to be adapted and/or re-adapted to film and tv asap. Plus their review of the Fall Guy, Fun ... Show More
1h 17m
May 2024
The Government Takes On Ticketmaster
Over recent years, few companies have provoked more anger among music fans than Ticketmaster. Last week, the Department of Justice announced it was taking the business to court.David McCabe, who covers technology policy for The Times, explains how the case could reshape America’s ... Show More
23m 48s