2,586 Fans to Attend Two Springsteen Concerts
Under Settlement with Ticketmaster
NEWARK - The availability of additional tickets for the two Bruce Springsteen concerts at the Izod Center tonight and Saturday, as required under the settlement with Ticketmaster negotiated by the Office of the Attorney General and the Division of Consumer Affairs, will result in 2,586 fans being able to attend the shows.
An additional 381 consumers who overpaid for tickets when they were unknowingly linked from the Ticketmaster web site to the TicketsNow resale site, will receive a collective $246,257 in refunds. The refunds amount to the difference in the prices paid compared to the face value of the tickets.
“The concert-goers attending tonight's show include consumers who had their complaints resolved under the settlement we negotiated with Ticketmaster,” Attorney General Anne Milgram said. “We are continuing to review the business practices of the concert industry in New Jersey to ensure consumers are treated fairly when they attempt to buy tickets.”
Ticketmaster agreed to revise its business practices, including not linking from its web site to the TicketsNow resale site without approval from the Office of the Attorney General, under the settlement. Ticketmaster also is barred from speculative pre-sales of tickets, as happened when tickets were sold in February for this month's Springsteen concert in Washington, D.C.
The agreement with Ticketmaster states that the company “shall prohibit the sale, offer of sale or advertisement of tickets to any Entertainment Event (for which tickets are being sold on Ticketmaster's website for primary ticketing) through its TicketsNow website until initial sale on sale date and time at its website for primary ticketing. Respondent shall use best efforts to ensure that all users of its TicketsNow website comply with this non pre-sale provision.”
“We continue to monitor Ticketmaster for compliance with the terms of the settlement,” said David Szuchman, Consumer Affairs Director. “We will investigate new consumer complaints about buying tickets for events and concerts that are filed with the Division.”
Szuchman thanked the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority (NJSEA) for its assistance in making the random ticket drawing possible.
Consumers may file complaints with the Division of Consumer Affairs by calling 1-800-242-5846 (toll-free within N.J.) or 973-504-6200 or online at http://www.nj.gov/oag/ca/ocp/ocpform.htm
