Ticketmaster, the world's leading ticketing company, has announced an agreement to acquire a controlling equity interest in Front Line Management Group Inc., the artist management company that represents Aerosmith, Journey, and Guns N' Roses, among others. Ticketmaster also announced that Irving Azoff, founder and chief executive officer of Front Line, will become Chief Executive Officer of Ticketmaster.

Upon completion of the transaction, Ticketmaster will change its name to Ticketmaster Entertainment, Inc., to reflect its continued emergence as a diversified live entertainment and marketing company.
 
You have seen over the last year, Live Nation, forging relationships with big name artists. Live Nation will take over the distribution of albums, concert tickets, and marketing for the artists they have signed. Live Nation has decided to take control of the artists entire work output. Some artists see this as a good idea, U2, Madonna, Nickelback, but I am a bit leery.
 
Ticketmaster Entertainment, Inc has been created to directly compete with Live Nation. Look for exclusive deals in the near future that will be very similar to the ones Live Nation has brokered. So why am I leery?
 
Well I fucking hate monopolies. When a corporation becomes so big it squeezes out any competition, that is not good for consumers. We will be the ones paying for tickets to U2 or *god forbid* Nickelback. Without healthy competition, these big ticket sellers can charge what they want. Ticket prices probably won't change so much because that is determined by artists and promoter. Sure they will rise, but I am talking about the EXTRA charges on the ticket. The fucking $20.00 on top of the ticket that pays for NOTHING.
 
The service, convenience, building facility charge that tacks an extra 20-25.00 on to the price of an already inflated ticket. For a while, Live Nation and Ticketmaster were selling the same tickets to the same venue, but Live Nation had a cheaper service/convenience charge, so I usually bought from them. Now, I have no choice. If I want to see U2, I am going to have to pay Live Nation whatever they want.
 
With Ticketmaster getting into the same game, it only means more money for two giant companies and it will cost you more money.
 
I am sure Vic Wettner, Wettner's Business Guru, has a different take on this. But fuck corporations!