MANNHEIM, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 16: James Hetfield of Metallica performs during their 'WorldWired' tour at SAP Arena on February 16, 2018 in Mannheim, Germany. (Photo by Simon Hofmann/Getty Images) Getty Images
The biggest and most profitable metal band in the world, Metallica, are under scrutiny over a secretly recorded phone call detailing ticket sales and profits for the band’s World Wired North American tour. Reported by Billboard, the phone call took place days before the tour announcement back in February of 2017, and has Live Nation president of U.S. concerts, Bob Roux, Metallica ticketing consultant Tony DiCioccio, and third party promoter Vaughn Millette, discussing plans to sell 4,400 tickets per show to secondary markets, commonly known as ticket scalpers. The report claims “Metallica would get 40% of the resale revenue, Live Nation 40%, DiCioccio 12% and Millette 8%, though another source said Live Nation’s share was lower.”
Allegedly the plan was transpired after Metallica’s 2016 Minneapolis show garnered more than 10,000 tickets from the secondary market, but did so “without the band’s participation.” While Live Nation states it “does not have a practice of placing tickets on the secondary market,” it instead uses VIP packages and Ticketmaster Platinum “to help tours price closer to true market value.” Although Live Nation doesn’t practice these tactics, the company does state it “has facilitated the quiet transfer of concert tickets directly into the hands of resellers through the years, though only at the request of the artists involved – who control where the tickets are initially sold.” In this case the band’s consultant, Tony DiCioccio, may have opted for the ticketing plan without the band knowing, as representatives from Metallica told Billboard the band members were unaware of the ticketing deal made by DiCioccio. However, Billboard does gather from those who’ve worked with the band that DiCioccio is “family” to Metallica, and a source reports “if there’s 5 seats on the jet flying home, it’s the band and Tony.” A publicist from Metallica also made clear that DiCioccio is still employed by the band.
If anything, it’s seems unlikely Metallica knew about the ordeal, but it’s strange and disheartening nonetheless. In an interview back in December of 2016, CTV News Channel asked Metallica’s James Hetfield, “Do you think Ticketmaster and other ticket sellers have a responsibility to implement more technology to prevent mass resales?” To which he replied, “Technology can help, for sure. Gosh, the way certain things work with security online ... it's harder for me to get onto an airplane. It's hard to believe something more can't be done. There's legal scalping out there too, which is kind of frustrating — your Stubhubs and what not — all the sudden, "Hey wow, we just sold 10,000 tickets. And where did they go? To one place? Interesting." We're aware of it and doing what we can. At the end of the day the fan gets screwed and we get screwed. That shouldn't happen.”
Metallica are currently touring Europe and playing to gargantuan crowds, not to mention there recent stop in Finland which drew 1% of the country's population. Alongside this, the band have made sizable charity donations throughout their tour, all which can be followed from their charity All Within My Hands.
HabaneroSalsa on July 23rd, 2019 at 16:30 UTC »
" While Live Nation states it “does not have a practice of placing tickets on the secondary market,” "
Live Nation certainly does have a similar practice, they scalp their own tickets and resell them on their primary market.
A crook is a crook.
dethskwirl on July 23rd, 2019 at 15:58 UTC »
i remember when i was in high school, metallica was throwing free concerts to stick it to the record companies.
two years later, lars was calling congress on napster for sharing their music.
and now they conspire with corporate giants to increase ticket prices.
bjanos on July 23rd, 2019 at 14:01 UTC »
I know this is probably widely known, buy this is the first time actual legit sources have come out saying it's true.