Ticketmaster Offers Millions of Free Tickets, Faces Backlash

Gig selection in class-action settlement leaves much to be desired
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 22, 2016 5:06 AM CDT
Ticketmaster Offers Millions of Free Tickets, Faces Backlash
Ticketmaster tickets and gift cards are shown at a box office in San Jose, Calif.    (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)

If you used Ticketmaster between 1999 and 2013, you could be eligible for up to 17 vouchers for free concerts—but there's a strong chance you'll have to settle for a band you don't like that's playing in a distant city. Fans were outraged Tuesday when Ticketmaster, which is giving away the vouchers as part of a class-action lawsuit, released a list of eligible concerts that heavily featured '90s acts like the Barenaked Ladies, failed to include A-list acts in many areas, left out the better venues in some cities, and omitted 31 states entirely, the New York Daily News reports. Users can check here to see if they received vouchers. The company is also giving out vouchers for a $2.25 discount on any ticket or a $5 discount on UPS delivery, the New York Times reports.

As part of the settlement in the $400 million class-action lawsuit brought over excessive fees, Ticketmaster must give out $42 million in vouchers. An estimated 57 million people are eligible, meaning many will never get to use the vouchers, the Times notes. Amid reported IT glitches, fans took to social media to mock the scheme. "The good news is we all have free Ticketmaster vouchers," tweeted Jessica Roy. "The bad news is they're only valid for concerts you wouldn't even go to for free." "These Ticketmaster vouchers are like finding money in your couch cushions, then realizing it's foreign currency from a failed state," tweeted Brian Beutler. Ticketmaster says it's going to continue adding new concerts to the list. Mashable has rounded up some of the better options. (More Ticketmaster stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X