Walmart AMP switches to Ticketmaster despite controversy
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios
Northwest Arkansas' largest concert venue is now using Ticketmaster.
Context: The move comes just after the Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion's record-breaking year in 2024, when it recorded its highest revenue, highest number of shows and most tickets sold.
What they're saying: "Because of this growth, we knew we needed a ticketing system that could scale quickly to meet the different needs of each tour and easily handle multiple large ticket sales at the same time," spokesperson Jennifer Wilson told Axios in an email.
- The venue had been using a platform called Tessitura for ticket services. Walton Arts Center, which owns the Walmart AMP, will continue using Tessitura.
The other side: The public response — at least on the concert venue's social media — is overwhelmingly negative with many comments calling it a bad decision for the locally-owned venue and expressing concerns that the move will lead to higher fees and increased ticket scalping.
- "Ticketmaster uses digital tickets with a rotating barcode so fans know they have a valid ticket and provides a safe way to share and resell tickets on the platform," Wilson said. "Ticket fees vary based on the type of ticket that you are purchasing, and the majority of patrons should see little difference in pricing and fees."
- The switch also comes as tickets to see shows at the Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion are becoming harder to get. Last season, a concert (Chappell Roan, of course) sold out before going on sale to the public.
Flashback: Ticketmaster came under fire in 2022 after the presale for Taylor Swift's Eras Tour was marred by technical glitches from Ticketmaster and led to a canceled general public sale.
- But its clashes with artists go way back. Pearl Jam filed a complaint against Ticketmaster in 1994 with the U.S. Department of Justice, alleging the company had a monopoly over ticket distribution.
The intrigue: Arkansas was one of 30 states to join the Department of Justice in suing Ticketmaster in 2024, accusing it of operating an illegal monopoly.
- "The result is that fans pay more in fees, artists have fewer opportunities to play concerts, smaller promoters get squeezed out, and venues have fewer real choices for ticketing services. It is time to break up Live Nation-Ticketmaster," said then-U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland.
- In response to whether this raises concerns about Ticketmaster's practices, Wilson wrote, "The Walmart AMP remains an independently owned and operated venue, and the lawsuit is not directed at our venue."