Comment by miki123211
2 years ago
A dutch auction is really hard because different tickets have different prices, different people have different requirements about where they want to sit (a committed disabled fan may be willing to pay any price, but they can't do standing only) and there are many different price tiers.
A better idea is an airline-style dynamic pricing system that considers different variables, current demand, projected demand, type of seat etc. If it looks like the show is about to begin and there are still lots of tickets left unsold, be like Ryanair and sell them at a massive discount. If there are more people on your page than there are seats available, make the price go up until that changes.
The simplest way of implementing dynamic pricing is a resale market, where the price of tickets changes based on supply and demand.
Sure, it perfectly sets the market clearing price at all times, but it has the inefficiency that the performer can end up with only a fraction of the total amount the attendees are willing to pay. All those middlemen add value not in a way that feels fair, like collecting a percentage fee. Rather, they get all the upside whenever popular shows sell out. I can see why artists don't like that.