New Pre-Sale System Coming (And it sucks)

[jaimearodriguez]

In case some of you have missed it, U2.com has slowly been updating their terms and conditions on their website. This, along with other changes seem to indicate we are in for a new era of pre-sales. An era that sucks big time!

First, here is a photo of the U2.com profile page, now asking you to connect to your Ticketmaster and Facebook accounts. This seems to indicate we are headed to the 'Verified Fan' system, recently used during Springsteen on Broadway. You can read about it here, but just trust me, it kinda sucks. Ticketmaster.com - FAQ | What is Ticketmaster Verified Fan?

Then, here are the new terms and conditions:

"We may offer certain tickets or ticket packages, including presale tickets, as a benefit to fan club members. Depending on your rank based on our FanScore® technology, you may not have the same access to presale tickets as other members. "

What is "fan score"? The system makes you prove your devotion to U2. Who is the biggest fan? devotion. You can preorder the CD of Songs of experience – and to receive it on the day of release. And you are allowed to buy the album 13 times to boost your place in the line. You can buy merchandise from U2.com. If you do not want to spend money, you can get a smaller boost to your position by repeatedly watching her new video, or by posting about U2 on social media.

Taylor Swift recently used it. Read more about it here: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/aug/31/bad-blood-is-taylor-swifts-verified-fan-system-a-way-to-reward-followers-or-rip-them-off

Sounds like a nightmare? YES. Yes it does. And it looks like its headed our way.

 

[corianderstem]

Waiting to see what actually happens before passing judgement. I hope it's not one of the irritating systems (like this stupid "fan score" bullshit), but will wait and see before I freak out.

 

[rennowba]

What is Ticketmaster Verified Fan?

We built a really big robot to protect fans from the thousands of little scalper bots trying to scoop up tickets.

Fans register ahead of time, and those who are verified and selected receive a code that unlocks the opportunity to purchase tickets.

Ticketmaster #VerifiedFan was designed to separate actual, human fans from bots and scalpers. The system aims to thwart bad actors who are in the business of taking away tickets from fans just so they can resell them. Our technology analyzes every registrant to make sure they are real people interested in going to the show.

Please note: Registering does NOT guarantee you will be verified, receive a code or have the ability to purchase tickets.

That summary is hilarious when you think ticketmaster run getmein.com which is basically legalised touting that ticketmaster make a lot of money from

This is gonna be shit ain't it, whats wrong with the system theve used since 2004. I don't do Facebook or any form of social media so I'm screwed.

So are the doing away with the u2.com membership?

Does all this apply in the uk?

 

[rennowba]

Waiting to see what actually happens before passing judgement. I hope it's not one of the irritating systems (like this stupid "fan score" bullshit), but will wait and see before I freak out.

It's madness as if U2's fan base is young enough to do all this fan score crap

 

[BVS]

The concept is an interesting one, and I can see how it would work if done right, but allowing 13 copies to be bought and go toward your score is ridiculous. I mean everyone knows TSwift fans don't have that many friends.

But to say it sucks bigtime without seeing the parameters is jumping the gun.

 

[trevgreg]

I'm still wondering how it might affect anyone who primarily does GA. If it works like the other times I did it, then it's really just a way of giving you another chance of getting one. Seats might be a different issue, obviously.

If they ever introduced an "early entry" option for GA people, well, that's when all chaos will erupt there.

 

[jaimearodriguez]

I'm still wondering how it might affect anyone who primarily does GA. If it works like the other times I did it, then it's really just a way of giving you another chance of getting one. Seats might be a different issue, obviously.

If they ever introduced an "early entry" option for GA people, well, that's when all chaos will erupt there.

The Killers are doing this. $70 for normal GA. $300 for 'Early Entry' GA. Its getting stupid how Live Nation/ Concert Industry is milking us more and more each passing day.

 

[rennowba]

The Killers are doing this. $70 for normal GA. $300 for 'Early Entry' GA.

So u mean 230 extra dollars just to get in the arena early ? That's crazy. Do u get anything else for your money ?

 

[jaimearodriguez]

I'm still wondering how it might affect anyone who primarily does GA. If it works like the other times I did it, then it's really just a way of giving you another chance of getting one. Seats might be a different issue, obviously.

If they ever introduced an "early entry" option for GA people, well, that's when all chaos will erupt there.

So u mean 230 extra dollars just to get in the arena early ? That's crazy. Do u get anything else for your money ?

Just checked. It says:

- Early Entry
- Exclusive VIP tour gift
- Souvenir laminate
- VIP check in desk

 

[prbiker15]

I’m glad I’m not a subscriber. This will probably apply to the general sale too, though.

 

[corianderstem]

I'm willing to give whatever it is a shot for this next tour, but then that may determine whether or not keeping the subscription for pre-sale access is even worth it.

 

[womanfish]

As i said over on the other thread. I think this is not going to be as big of a deal as people are making it out to be.

U2 fans are not like Taylor Swift fans. No U2 fan is going to watch a video 500 times to boost their score. Or buy 13 albums.
If you are a big enough fan to be on Interference, you will probably be pre-ordering the album anyway, maybe buy an album for a gift for someone, possibly get crazy and buy a shirt or something.
That probably puts you in the top 2% of people that are going to be buying tickets to U2 shows.
For the probably 200 people that buy 8 albums for christmas gifts and some merch or whatever, it's going to be a drop in the bucket and effect nothing.

Hell, you might get better ticket options through this than before. who knows.

 

[ChurchBay]

So in anticipation of the Songs of Experience tour there's not much point to subscribing to U2.com because I won't get into the ticket presale for their gigs anyway?

 

[jaimearodriguez]

So in anticipation of the Songs of Experience tour there's not much point to subscribing to U2.com because I won't get into the ticket presale for their gigs anyway?

Nothing is official yet. So I would still subscribe just to have variables under control.

 

[jaimearodriguez]

As i said over on the other thread. I think this is not going to be as big of a deal as people are making it out to be.


That probably puts you in the top 2% of people that are going to be buying tickets to U2 shows.
For the probably 200 people that buy 8 albums for christmas gifts and some merch or whatever, it's going to be a drop in the bucket and effect nothing.

Hell, you might get better ticket options through this than before. who knows.

Sounds beautiful. Hope you are right.

 

[rennowba]

So in anticipation of the Songs of Experience tour there's not much point to subscribing to U2.com because I won't get into the ticket presale for their gigs anyway?

Haven't we already used our presale codes for the Joshua tree tour. I know I have anyway

 

[dan_smee]

Meh. Anyone who thinks they will be locked out of presales because of this is out of their mind. I’m pretty sure there are fans that went to every show of I and e, and they wouldn’t have been able to pre sale everything. It is just making sure the absolute best seats and closest ga spots are taken by people who want it more rather than line nazis, and that their album is guaranteed a number 1

 

[BVS]

They should just text you random questions that only REAL fans would know. You get fan scores based if you get the first question right, or if you need a second/ third one.

What's God's phone number?
What comes after tres?
Which of the band members hasn't fallen off a U2 stage yet?
You're helping who across the street like a little old lady?
Was Larry on board?
Who wrote Miami?

 

[djparky]

What is Ticketmaster Verified Fan?

We built a really big robot to protect fans from the thousands of little scalper bots trying to scoop up tickets.

Fans register ahead of time, and those who are verified and selected receive a code that unlocks the opportunity to purchase tickets.

Ticketmaster #VerifiedFan was designed to separate actual, human fans from bots and scalpers. The system aims to thwart bad actors who are in the business of taking away tickets from fans just so they can resell them. Our technology analyzes every registrant to make sure they are real people interested in going to the show.

Please note: Registering does NOT guarantee you will be verified, receive a code or have the ability to purchase tickets.

That summary is hilarious when you think ticketmaster run getmein.com which is basically legalised touting that ticketmaster make a lot of money from

This is gonna be shit ain't it, whats wrong with the system theve used since 2004. I don't do Facebook or any form of social media so I'm screwed.

So are the doing away with the u2.com membership?

Does all this apply in the uk?

To date these scams have been US only, here in Europe tickets get sold through multiple different companies- AXS, TM, Event IM etc so dont see them making all that lot work.

Depeche Mode did this for the US tour and it turned into a pissing contest between fans competing to get further up the queue- mostly in the form of buying endless copies of albums. The Taylor Swift one is much the same- and will lead to much the same behaviour. They dress it up as trying to limit resale market- but they could achieve all of that by doing named tickets with photo ID check are simply cancelling any tickets that appear at Vileagogo etc

This is simply another very cynical way of fleecing the fan base. I'm not playing this game, so no presale code= no u2.com membership and probably not buying lots of tickets to see on tour

 

[The_acrobat]

I won't be participating in this bullshit. I won't be renewing a membership, nor will I do whatever the fuck this is. I'm sure I'll be able to get tickets just fine through the general sale. This isn't the Vertigo Tour... tickets aren't going to sell out in seconds. I've done the whole waiting in line all day to get in the front row business, I'm no longer interested in jumping through hoops to get that done.

 

[womanfish]

Yeah, i'm suspecting that this tour is not going to sell as quickly because there is no pent up population waiting to see them for the first time in years. This is coming off a 2015 and 2017 tour. I was able to buy GA tickets to Chicago in the first hour or so for I&E general sale. And this one will be even more available IMO.

Also think that its pretty stupid to hear that Depeche Mode fans were buying multiple copies to get further up the chain. I can't imagine there were that many fans vying for... um not really sure... a chance to buy tickets one day earlier, when the equivilant seats will be available just fine the next day? Depeche Mode didnt even sell out a lot of US venues, so it's laughable to think these idiots would buy 10 albums for a show.

Anyway. nothing is set yet. U2.com may give longtime members preferred status and all of this is moot point anyway.

 

[BVS]

I don't know what I'm going to have to do, but I just know for sure I aint doing it.

Damn the man!

 

[Axver]

U2 fans are not like Taylor Swift fans. No U2 fan is going to watch a video 500 times to boost their score. Or buy 13 albums.

Oh boy, if you think U2 fans aren't this crazy, be prepared for a shock.

I mean, there were people on Twitter encouraging other fans to set up their devices to stream The Best Thing all day to help its chart numbers.

There will definitely be people here who will go apeshit to boost their score, should anything like this be implemented. Whether it will even be necessary is another question entirely, but of course some people are nuts enough.

 

[CosmoKramer]

I would think paying to be a member of the fan club would be enough. I don’t like the idea that you “boost” your way up a list by spending more money. That seems very well let’s say “uncool”. I think I’m fine because I don’t like GA and that seems to always be the Hot ticket. At the end of the day, I’ll buy my digital deluxe copy and physical (yes, I like the physical CD) but I’m not throwing money away for multiple whatever’s. I mean, FFS all the money I have spent on the band since 1993, Bono should do my dry cleaning.

 

[DeVaul]

The FanScore thing is discouraging, but if they align their subscriber database and cross check it against ticketmaster and social media accounts to lock out some obvious scalper accounts, then maybe it's wortHAHAHAHA.

This is the U2 fanclub we're talking about. They sent out Duals. They reset seniority levels after 360 for No. Apparent. Reason. A lot of us are still paying in. They've got us by the disco balls and the looming spectre of a buy-your-way-in clusterfuck honestly does not completely surprise me after Arcade Fire offered a VIP early entry on their recent undersold arena tour. If it happens, the backlash will be interesting.

At the absolute least, they'll tie a download/CD to a ticket sale and guarantee themselves a #1 album and all the essentially meaningless single day of stories that includes.

 

[jaimearodriguez]

This is how the presales looked like for Imagine Dragons and Depeche Mode this year:

 

[dan_smee]

I don’t know why people have a problem with this. It is just pure capitalism. If people want tickets, they will do it. You’ll get tickets in general sales anyway, so what’s the problem?

 

[BVS]

Honestly, outside the ‘albums purchased’, I don’t take issue with any of this and it makes sense on how to defend against scalpers.

 

[CosmoKramer]

Honestly, outside the ‘albums purchased’, I don’t take issue with any of this and it makes sense on how to defend against scalpers.

Im with you. It’s a very different music business in 2017 than it was is 1987,1997 or 2007. Promo and exposure is not exclusive to TV and radio but social media and mobile devices. So, getting the word out on U2 involves tweets, shares and the like.

I just wish I could get credit for all the bootleg $50 CDs I bought of live shows in the 90s from Mom and pop record stores.....I would be having a VIP lunch with Adam!

 

[popacrobat]

Honestly, outside the ‘albums purchased’, I don’t take issue with any of this and it makes sense on how to defend against scalpers.

the social media part is bleh. that's easy to manipulate/create a bot.

on the surface, it's a good idea. let's see if it can be executed well.