The Live Music Industry Podcast #32 - The True Cost of the Big Check: Ticketing Advances, Fees, and Fan Frustration
On the latest episode of The Live Music Industry Podcast, Matt Ford sits down with Boris Patronoff, founder and CEO of Soundcheck Capital and former CEO of See Tickets US.
In this conversation, Boris breaks down how independent promoters, venues, and festivals actually get financed today and why so many of those dollars come with hidden tradeoffs.
You’ll hear:
Why traditional banks rarely fund independent live operators
How ticketing companies became de-facto lenders and what that means for fees and flexibility
The real economics behind ticketing advances and service charges
Key differences between U.S. and European ticketing markets
How all-in pricing and secondary markets are shaping fan trust
Why separating “the tech” from “the check” can create more optionality and long-term sustainability
Episode Time Stamps:
- (00:00:27) – Boris’s path into ticketing
- (00:03:39) – The financing problem & Europe vs. U.S. ticketing
- (00:12:30)– Founding See Tickets U.S.
- (00:15:30) – Growing See Tickets: festivals to venues
- (00:21:21) – Soundcheck Capital: separating tech from capital
- (00:31:26) – Underwriting risk & why banks can’t do this
- (00:40:08) – Optionality over monopoly
- (00:47:05) – All-in pricing & a potential reset
- (00:52:24) – Long-term belief in live events
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