The Cure frontman Robert Smith posted a flurry of angry Twitter messages blasting Ticketmaster for allegedly charging exorbitant fees to his concert, and he apparently managed to convince the organization to issue partial refunds to fans.
Smith began his Twitter rant March 14, letting fans know he was aware of the high prices and had not only heard their complaints, but was going to find a way to make it right. He wrote a number of Tweets in succession, each of which was typed out in his signature all-caps style.
“I am as sickened as you all are by today’s Ticketmaster ‘fees’ debacle,” Smith wrote. “To be very clear: the artist has no way to limit them … If I get anything coherent by way of an answer I will let you all know.”
By March 16, Smith had apparently successfully negotiated partial refunds for his fans.
I AM AS SICKENED AS YOU ALL ARE BY TODAY’S TICKETMASTER ‘FEES’ DEBACLE. TO BE VERY CLEAR: THE ARTIST HAS NO WAY TO LIMIT THEM. I HAVE BEEN ASKING HOW THEY ARE JUSTIFIED. IF I GET ANYTHING COHERENT BY WAY OF AN ANSWER I WILL LET YOU ALL KNOW. X
— ROBERT SMITH (@RobertSmith) March 16, 2023
Smith made his outrage clear and refused to back down. He told fans The Cure selected Ticketmaster as its ticket sale outlet in hopes of curbing scalpers, and he made it abundantly clear the band did not agree to cooperate with Ticketmaster’s dynamic pricing and Platinum ticket system, according to The Guardian.
Artists who opt in to those programs have seen ticket sales soar to thousands of dollars for a singular seat. Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift have both participated in the sales model, the outlet reported.
Smith referenced the dynamic pricing system in another firm Tweet. “It is a greedy scam – and all artists have the choice not to participate… if no artists participated, it would ease to exist,” he wrote.
WHAT I MEANT BY THIS BIT WAS… I HAD A SEPARATE CONVERSATION ABOUT ‘PLATINUM’, TO SEE IF I HAD MISUNDERSTOOD SOMETHING… BUT I HADN’T! IT IS A GREEDY SCAM – AND ALL ARTISTS HAVE THE CHOICE NOT TO PARTICIPATE… IF NO ARTISTS PARTICIPATED, IT WOULD CEASE TO EXIST X https://t.co/Kj7hjkRGn1
— ROBERT SMITH (@RobertSmith) March 15, 2023
The band then pulled back on its “verified fan” sales that were reportedly being overcharged by Ticketmaster as a result of what he described as “unruly fees,” and converted the tickets to “general sale.”
Smith later returned to Twitter to update fans on his apparently successful negotiation process.
“After further conversation, Ticketmaster have agreed with us that many of the fees being charged are unduly high, and as a gesture of goodwill have offered a $10 per ticket refund to all verified fan accounts for lowest ticket price (‘LTP’) transactions,” Smith wrote. (RELATED: Senators Torch Ticketmaster For Taylor Swift Debacle)
WE HAD FINAL SAY IN ALL OUR TICKET PRICING FOR THIS UPCOMING TOUR, AND DIDN’T WANT THOSE PRICES INSTANTLY AND HORRIBLY DISTORTED BY RESALE – WE WERE TOLD “In North America the resale business is a multi-billion $ industry.
— ROBERT SMITH (@RobertSmith) March 15, 2023
“And a $5 per ticket refund to all verified fan accounts for all other ticket price transactions, for all cure shows at all venues; If you already bought a ticket you will get an automatic refund,” he added.
Smith then told fans the next batch of tickets to be made available for public release would “incur lower fees.”
1 OF 2: AFTER FURTHER CONVERSATION, TICKETMASTER HAVE AGREED WITH US THAT MANY OF THE FEES BEING CHARGED ARE UNDULY HIGH, AND AS A GESTURE OF GOODWILL HAVE OFFERED A $10 PER TICKET REFUND TO ALL VERIFIED FAN ACCOUNTS FOR LOWEST TICKET PRICE (‘LTP’) TRANSACTIONS…
— ROBERT SMITH (@RobertSmith) March 16, 2023
The Senate held a January hearing about Ticketmaster’s ticket sales systems and practices to hear testimony about monopolization, resale markets and Ticketmaster’s influence on the live event industry, The Guardian reported.