This NPR Planet Money podcast covers a lot of the problems with ticket pricing: http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2013/06/25/195641030/episode-468-kid-rock-vs-

This NPR Planet Money podcast covers a lot of the problems with ticket pricing: http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2013/06/25/195641030/episode-468-kid-rock-vs-the-scalpers http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2013/06/25/195641030/episo... The biggest problem is that artists don't want to appear greedy by pricing their tickets at full market value. But the artists also recognize the money that is being left on the table by pricing at a "normal" value. There are ways to recoup including adding more shows per city, onsite merchandise sales, higher-price "VIP" packages and box seats, and kickbacks from Ticketmaster in the form of "service charges".