There is lots of concern out there how the merger will effect U2 ticket sales. Since Ticketbastard already screws people over at will (see recent Springsteen fiasco) will this merger make things better or make things worse?
Well, the first answer is-at least we won't know in time for the ticketing of the first leg of the tour. And we may not ever know at all. Before TM and LN can merge, they have to get approval by the US federal government. Under the Bush administration, they rubber stamped these sorts of mergers and let potential monopoly creating enterprises develop (see Sirius satellite and XM satellite radio merger). Whether the Obama admnistration will do the same remains to be seen. What we do know is that it will take several months, potentially up to a year, for the regulatory process to occur.
So rest assured, if we are screwed over for tickets it will be because of the status quo for awhile, not because of a new, oligopoly, terrifying, beast with two backs merger.
Well, the first answer is-at least we won't know in time for the ticketing of the first leg of the tour. And we may not ever know at all. Before TM and LN can merge, they have to get approval by the US federal government. Under the Bush administration, they rubber stamped these sorts of mergers and let potential monopoly creating enterprises develop (see Sirius satellite and XM satellite radio merger). Whether the Obama admnistration will do the same remains to be seen. What we do know is that it will take several months, potentially up to a year, for the regulatory process to occur.
So rest assured, if we are screwed over for tickets it will be because of the status quo for awhile, not because of a new, oligopoly, terrifying, beast with two backs merger.