Amazon declares war on Ticketmaster with new ticketing service

For years, Ticketmaster has existed uncontested as America’s preeminent concert ticket retailer. That may soon change, however, as retailer-multimedia conglomerate Amazon is planning its own ticketing service.

As recode points out, Amazon is actively building up Amazon Tickets. The service received a soft launch in the UK last year, but the company is now eyeing expansion into the US, Europe, and Asia. The goal, according to one job posting, is to “position Amazon Tickets as the world’s premier destination for purchasing tickets.”

“[O]ur vision goes beyond just selling tickets as we aim to disrupt the entire live entertainment experience, including what happens before, during and after the show,” notes the job posting. “The ticketing business is ripe for innovation and improvement, as much of the industry has not fundamentally changed since the 1970s.”

According to recode, Ian Freed is heading Amazon Tickets. Freed most recently oversaw the launch of Amazon’s Fire Phone and also runs the company’s restaurant-delivery service.

Below, revisit our recent documentary, Sold Out!: Inside America’s Ticketing Landscape.

Originally published at consequenceofsound.net on November 22, 2016.