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The belief that touring is the secure financial backbone for artists is now shaky. The phenomenon of "Blue Dot Fever"—unsold seats on Ticketmaster charts—is leading to major tour cancellations, suggesting the market is oversupplied and ticket prices are unsustainably high for many fans.
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To compete, ticketing rival SeatGeek created "retaliation insurance" for venues. This unique financial product was designed to cover losses if Live Nation withheld artists from venues that dropped Ticketmaster, highlighting the market's perception of Live Nation's coercive power.
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