NZ promoters slam Venues Wellington, TM tie-up

The New Zealand Promoters’ Association (NZPA) has criticised local authorities in Wellington for their decision to grant exclusive ticketing rights for four venues to Ticketmaster.

According to the association – until recently known as the New Zealand Entertainment Operators Association (NEOA) – the appointment of Ticketmaster NZ as the exclusive ticketer for Venues Wellington was made “without any consultation with promoters”, who would have preferred to “have the choice to select [a ticketing company] on a per-show basis”.

Venues Wellington, a division of the Wellington Regional Economic Development Agency (WREDA), operates four venues in the New Zealand capital: the TSB Bank Arena (5,655-cap.), Michael Fowler Centre (2,209-cap.), St James Theatre (1,552-cap.) and the Opera House (1,361-cap.). All move to Ticketmaster from Ticketek.

“NZPA would like to have the choice to select one of those companies on a per-show basis as their preferred ticketer for any venue”

“As two ticketing companies will be operating in Wellington, NZPA would like to have the choice to select one of those companies on a per-show basis as their preferred ticketer for any venue,” reads a statement from NZPA, which is chaired by Pacific Entertainment founder Ian Magan. “NZPA would like the ticket buying public to understand that this exclusive contract takes away the right of the promoter to seek better pricing from a competitive ticket provider for the public…”

The association also expresses its concern that Ticketmaster – through Ticketmaster Resale – is “actively involved” in the New Zealand secondary ticketing market. “This,” it says, “includes the potential for all tickets to events at Venues Wellington venues to be targeted for resale through the Ticketmaster Resale site and others, to further confuse, inconvenience and take advantage of the public who purchase tickets to events at any of these venues. The ticket resale market in New Zealand […] is already under investigation because of the public outcry.”

Live Nation Australasia declined to comment.

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