Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: I Sold Both My Lungs for Taylor Swift Tickets!
Date: September 23, 2025
Hosts: Armstrong & Getty
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts

EPISODE OVERVIEW

This episode revolves around the wild world of live event ticketing, sparked by the tongue-in-cheek title about “selling both lungs for Taylor Swift tickets.” Armstrong & Getty dive deep into the history, economics, and controversies behind buying event tickets—from youthful adventures camping out for concerts, to the modern frustrations (and opportunities) in the digital era. Central to the discussion: How regulations, big corporations (especially Ticketmaster/Live Nation), and market forces shape ticket prices, availability, and the fan experience.

KEY DISCUSSION POINTS & INSIGHTS

1. Anecdotal Kickoff & Nostalgia for Old-School Ticket Buying

• The show opens with playful banter about the episode title (“I sold both my lungs…”), poking fun at the extreme lengths fans go for hot-ticket events.
• Getty jokes, “I don't know if that was good long term thinking.” Armstrong riffs: “All I've got is a Ziploc bag. I inhale. I got a Ziploc bag attached to my trachea.” (03:37-03:46)
• They reminisce about the days when getting concert tickets meant camping out overnight, forming communal lines, and the unwritten code among fans.

2. How Ticketing Has (and Hasn’t) Changed Over Time

• Getty asks, “Has concert tickets always been this way?” Armstrong explains that even in the '70s, prime tickets were hard to get due to industry insiders and promoters scooping up the best seats before genuine fans could buy them. (05:31-06:33)
• Armstrong: “Once I stayed out overnight, slept in line … for Rush tickets … That was the only way to get really good tickets. And it was quite the party.” (06:19-06:34)

3. Regulation and the Power of Big Corporations

• Armstrong introduces a National Review article critiquing well-intentioned but flawed policies meant to fix the ticketing market.
• Discusses Trump’s executive order pressuring federal agencies to reform live entertainment ticketing, especially targeting opaque pricing and automated bots. (03:52+)
• The dark side: Armstrong points out that the regulations often serve to protect major incumbents (like Ticketmaster), who can handle higher compliance costs, at the expense of smaller competitors.

4. Ticketmaster’s Dominance & Government’s Role

• Ticketmaster is called “dominant in primary ticketing”, controlling 80%+ of the market. They benefit from state laws requiring tickets be resold only where purchased, locking users into Ticketmaster’s platforms. (09:00-09:37)
• Armstrong: “Ticketmaster earns twice, once on the original sale and again on the resale. … These venue exclusivities and public subsidies give them enormous power.” (09:45-10:35)

5. The Controversy Over Resale Price Caps

• Live Nation/Ticketmaster is lobbying for a 20% resale price cap, framing it as “for fans,” but critics argue it would hobble smaller competitors while Ticketmaster's diverse revenue allows it to thrive. (08:39-10:35)
• Armstrong highlights how similar attempts at price-capping in Ireland, France, and the UK led to increases in fraud and scams, not consumer benefit. (12:28-14:08)
• Memorable quote: “Price caps don't stop unfair ticket resale practices. They just limit legitimate competition.” (13:32-13:38, paraphrased)

6. Technology and Market Evolution

• Getty recounts buying expensive concert tickets for his son on resale platforms—successfully waiting until an hour before the show for a tenfold price drop. (11:09-11:55)
• Armstrong and Getty appreciate modern platforms like SeatGeek and StubHub for their transparency and consumer protections.

7. Is Scalping Still a Thing in the Smartphone Era?

• They debate the role of physical scalpers versus digital resale, with anecdotes about both legal platforms and the risks of getting scammed buying from individuals. (10:35-12:28)
• “I used to scalp a lot, like all the time. Sporting events mostly. … But why would it exist in the smartphone era?” - Getty (10:35-10:58)

8. Artists, Profits, and Fan Experience

• Getty laments that resale profits rarely benefit the artists: “Why is some ticket broker getting $500 for your $80 ticket instead of you? You're the demand.” (15:22-15:32)
• Armstrong explains brokers take on risk (buying in bulk, not all tickets sell) and are often embraced by artists and promoters to minimize “empty arena” losses. (15:41-16:33)
• Insightful summation: “It's called supply and it's delightful companion demand.” (17:05-17:10)

9. Creative Solutions: The Billy Joel Approach

• Getty shares how Billy Joel would buy up the front rows and give them to passionate fans in nosebleed seats, to avoid “front row boredom” and enhance performers' experience. (20:59-21:55)
• Getty: “There were a lot of rich people around me who showed up late, barely paid attention, looking at their phones. Just annoying.” (21:14-21:45)

10. The Fantasy of “Face Value” and Market Reality

• Armstrong notes that face value prices are often intentionally underpriced to guarantee sellouts and retain event buzz, acknowledging the tension between market forces and idealized fairness. (17:05-18:04)
• “Would I prefer some fantasy land where it was always face value?... But that has to do with a number of people, including the artist, have every interest in a sellout...” (17:54-18:04)

NOTABLE QUOTES & MEMORABLE MOMENTS

• Armstrong, on the episode title:
  “Sold both malungs for Taylor Swift tickets. So one more thing.” (03:21)
• Getty, on the post-lung era:
  “I'll tell you what era I'm in, the post lung era.” (03:46)
• Armstrong, on regulatory capture:
  “All sorts of different scams and schemes where regulation looks like it's to protect the consumer, but it's not at all.” (04:23)
• Getty, on modern ticket buying:
  “My biggest complaint with the way the modern thing works is the artist doesn't get the money.” (15:22)
• Armstrong, on supply & demand:
  “If I went on and saw that I could not see EC for less than $425. If I don't want to spend that much, I don't go. And if I do want to spend that much, I do. It's called supply and its delightful companion demand.” (17:05)
• Getty, on Billy Joel’s ticket reshuffling:
  “He said he did that for him because he wanted real fans who are really excited to be there, not people who are always in the front row and bored with the thing.” (21:15)

TIMESTAMP HIGHLIGHTS

• [03:21-03:52] — Kicking off with jokes about selling body parts for concert tickets and the “post-lung era.”
• [05:31-07:50] — Reminiscences on old-school ticket buying: campouts, line etiquette, and sleeping in the street for tickets.
• [08:39-10:35] — Ticketmaster’s price cap lobbying and the impact on competitors.
• [11:09-12:06] — Getty’s last-minute ticket deal; modern reselling platforms discussed.
• [13:00-14:08] — International policy failures when capping resale prices.
• [15:22-16:25] — Debate over who profits from resales, broker risks, and artist incentives.
• [20:59-21:55] — Billy Joel’s unique solution for putting true fans in the best seats.
• [17:05-18:04] — Armstrong’s summing up: “supply and demand” and why ticket prices aren’t “fair.”

OVERALL TONE AND STYLE

Conversational, irreverent, and grounded in real-life anecdotes. Armstrong & Getty weave in personal stories, industry insight, and policy critique with wit and a heavy dose of sarcasm—never shying away from poking fun at themselves, powerful corporations, or government regulators. The episode is a blend of nostalgia, skepticism of big institutions, and grudging acceptance of market realities.

SUMMARY

For listeners, this episode delivers an entertaining yet nuanced exploration of why it’s so hard (and often expensive) to see your favorite acts live, how both government and corporations contribute to the mess, and the complicated tradeoffs between “fairness,” competition, and market efficiency. If you’ve ever lost out on tickets you wanted—or wondered why even a $1500 seat might eventually sell for $180—you’ll find plenty to nod (or laugh) along with here.