Ticketmaster faces renewed backlash as fans encounter numerous issues during the Kendrick Lamar and SZA 'Grand National Tour' pre-sale event.

Fans report extensive wait times, system crashes, and excessive service fees, with some nosebleed seats priced at $350. One customer highlighted a $60 fee on a $159 ticket, while others claimed the platform's algorithm favors ticket brokers—an allegation Ticketmaster firmly denied.

Ticketmaster's response emphasized their investment in anti-scalping technology: "We never prioritize brokers over fans. We have invested more than the rest of the industry combined in developing technology to block bad actors from stealing tickets from fans."

This controversy occurs amid ongoing legal challenges. The U.S. Department of Justice, along with several state attorneys general, has filed a lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster, citing anticompetitive practices. The lawsuit addresses:

• Exclusive venue agreements requiring Ticketmaster-only ticketing
• Monopolistic promotional services
• Retaliation against competing companies
• Forced partnerships with Live Nation for concert promotion

Adding to these concerns, a former Ticketmaster executive recently pleaded guilty to hacking a competitor's platform. The executive, Stephen Mead, previously Songkick's General Manager of U.S. Operations, retained 85,000 company documents before joining TicketWeb, a Ticketmaster subsidiary. He subsequently shared Songkick's trade secrets with Ticketmaster, helping them refine their artist platform.

These ongoing issues highlight the broader concerns about monopolistic practices in the concert ticketing industry and their impact on consumers, artists, and competitors.

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