(02-01-2005) Scalpers Be Warned - U2.com*

[HelloAngel]

Scalpers Be Warned


Our thanks to many U2.Com subscribers who have sent us details of scalpers selling 'Vertigo' tour tickets - we are pursuing the leads you have mailed us.

Last week many U2 fans got in touch with us to complain about ticket touts offering tickets for the 'Vertigo 2005 Tour' at extortionate prices.

You have sent us in many useful online links and other information and a whole raft of ticket offers have already been taken down from online auction sites.

More action will follow.

Some of these touts have posed as genuine U2 fans, taken out a subscription and bought tickets in the presale only to readvertise them for huge sums.

Please be aware that anyone advertising tickets online does not have them in their possession yet - technology is helping us connect scalpers' offers with the original purchase of tickets.

When we identify rogue U2.Com subscribers as the source of sold-on tickets we are taking action to cancel the sale of those tickets and to redistribute those tickets to subscribers who have yet to get tickets.

Please also note the following clause in our terms of subscription to U2.Com.
"We reserve the right to block access to or cancel a ticket order of any user that we believe, in our sole and absolute discretion: (i) is or is associated with any ticket broker or scalper, (ii) is utilizing automated means to process or place ticket orders, or (iii) whose ticket order exceeds the stated limit."

If you have further information on scalpers and touts exploiting the tour,please let us know.

http://www.u2.com/news/index.php?mode=full&news_id=1313

 

[nbcrusader]

 

[Roland of Gilead]

This is encouraging.

 

[jadediva]

Scalpers are NOT the only or the MAIN reason there weren't tickets...

You do realize that all those tickets aren't all taken by brokers
and scalpers - you really should also point out the hypocisy of
Clear Channel who own the venues, promote the tours & play the music on their stations....should they choose, and ultimately are trying to subscribe out every good seat in all the venues they own. Bands have NO ACCESS to subscription based seats, therefore Clear Channel is responsible for the majority of seats held from the public. There were 5,600 tix sold to the fan club (info from a reliable source), there are just more people out there who need to make money then there are who want to see U2, thus those who need the money will be far more diligent at buying, and in greater numbers. For instance - U2 at Madison Square Garden was being bought by EVERYONE in this country...EVERYONE.

I know for a fact that at Madison Square Garden (MSG) that they have package deals that the performer is obligated to supply a certain number of tickets for- for instance $480 for 100 & 200 level
opposite the stage as "unadvertised, dinner package". That's means that most of the 100's & 200's are on hold with Madison Square Garden at basically $500/ea....and you have to own subscriptions at Madison Square Garden already & buy no less than 20 tickets.

Check out ETStours.com, a Canadian company selling hotel packages at $375 & up....you get your tickets the night of show at the hotel you stay at. Their tickets are in 300's. Add that with all the seats sold on subscription anyway and you have no tickets for the public sale, never mind the presale.

So if U2 really wants to warn somebody - perhaps they should also stop Clear Channel, the Venues and Ticketmaster from pulling
tickets. Some of those package deals are probably sold to brokers
as well - now interesting when you look at what an interesting merry- go-round the art of tickets really is.

And that's the real story of what has happened with these sales.
Perhaps the fans should be made aware of how it really goes down.

 

[tlt29]

However, the statement that these folks don't have tickets could be false. In the US, you had the option to have tickets emailed to you. My buddy went this route, and the tix were emailed to him the same day.

 

[Elvis]

U2/U2.com is attempting to please the masses. Press releases and U2.com postings will accomplish that for the most part.

 

[Elvis]

However, the statement that these folks don't have tickets could be false. In the US, you had the option to have tickets emailed to you. My buddy went this route, and the tix were emailed to him the same day.

I also know people who already have their phsyical tickets in-hand.

 

[isabelle_guns]

this is encouraging but let's see how well this plan actually works.

 

[Lara_Croft]

i think the scalpers are not only located on ebay, what about ticketsnow and other ticket agencies that are selling tickets at shameful prices? Are they legal scalpers?

 

[ark]

They arent doing anything about UK e-bay. Now over 1400 offers of 2 or 4 tickets. Mind you, no body seems to be buying them. The only bids seem to be on those selling tickets for about £100-£150 per ticket. The £500 for 2 offers are ending un-sold!
ark

 

[Macphisto2005]

If any good comes out of this, it will be that the method in which tickets get sold and distributed will be public knowledge and make those in charge look corrupt and shady.

This story has gotten a lot of press from every major newspaper. Even the NY Attorney General's office has been investigating.

 

[ultrraviolette]

at least this is a positive step

 

[BonoFox1]

I agree, what more cvan we do but hope that this gets resolved and that it does not happen again..

 

[Elvis]

If any good comes out of this, it will be that the method in which tickets get sold and distributed will be public knowledge and make those in charge look corrupt and shady.

This story has gotten a lot of press from every major newspaper. Even the NY Attorney General's office has been investigating.

What is the NY AG's office investigating exactly?

 

[Teta040]

Good question Elvis. I again point you to his now well-known May, 27 1999 report on corruption in New York State's ticketing system, which was even hypocrically VERY selectively quoted from in recent days to fans by a sweet little Clear Channel rep. She was actually talking down to us. I hope as many people as possible followed the link she provided, read the WHOLE report, and pondered her oh-so-seemingly honest words.

www.oag.state.ny.us/press/reports/scalping/exec_summary.html

I also point out to you what ramifications it could have for the future of U2's career, both on the radio and on touring, if U2 dares to do what really needs to be doneand go after the REAL culprits--the people who are promoting the tour and who have the cozy deals set up with brokers, whose purpose is to secure as many of the best seats as possible for their "clients": Clear Channel and TM. They own the venues, are the only company selling the tickets, and also happen to be the people who so little support U2 songs on Top 40 radio.

U2 could not in reality jeapordize their relationship with the only people around who handle their ability to tour. I know they surely want to, but think about it! You couldn't openly take on your boss if that was the only job company around! You coukd try to talk with them, reason with them evden force their hand a little--as they have done in recent days with regards to giving some fans the tickets they were owed--but notice: TM seems to be putting a cap now on the number of fans they are helping. That means they have put a quota on the number of tickets they actually want to get into fans hands. The rich clients who were helped by the big brokers--the big blocks of tickets sold to single brokers--those tickets must not be touched.

Which goes to show you just how much power U2 really has over these people. Not much, even if you'[re the biggest band in the world. Not in business matters where the parent comapny has its own secret agenda.

If U2 waged a all-out war on the CC/TM machine, and atempted to clamp down with an iron fist on the BIG brokers, they'd be shut out, like Pearl Jam were clamped down upon when they attempted to challenge the system. Or at least strongly warned. Or they might suffer down the road on the radio...lik ethe Dixie Chicks maybe?

I'm sure Bono must be rqaging and punching walls right now. He;s back from Davos, and guess who you think will get the public mocking?

 

[bratty_cat]

If this is true, why are there tons of tickets on ebay right now?

I just checked and there are auctions ending in minutes that have been successfully bid on.

I can't judge cause I bought tickets to a few shows during Elevation. It put me in debt for a little while but at least I got to the shows I wanted to see.

 

[TC]

I'm a little concerned about the idea of U2 cancelling some broker's tickets (if that is really going to happen or not is another sotry).
What about people like me who bought through a broker. I've done it from time to time before and I have no problem with it. But now I sit with 2 tickets *hoping* that the broiker I bought them from doesn't have them cancelled - then what do I do?
Is this really the right plan of attack and how does that really help the situation.
Like other people have said in these forums. I didn't join U2.com for presale tickets but does that make me less of a fan, or make my tickets any less important? Does that make it alright to, in essence, try to take my ticket away and make it available for someone else, regardless of where I bought it?
If U2.com can't make their system safe from brokers hogging the tickets - they do need to fix it - but after the fact? After many of us have purchased broker tickets and now don't know if they're any good? Would cancelling some brokers tickets really hurt the brokers anyway - would I even get a refund? Doubtful, so how is that solving the broker problem...it doesn't - all it does is leave many of us without tickets we bought legally.
They do need to redo their system of presales, but in reality to cancel broker tickets now will only anger as many people who are not U2.com members as they have already with those who joined U2.com.
Fix it yes - but fix it ahead of time and BEFORE you have problems. Screw ups happen, but you can't change that - all you can do is make sure it doesn't happen again.
Am I alone on this? What do you all think.

 

[TC]

No thoughts? Anyone?

 

[BonoFox1]

I honestly hope that these scalpers get stuck with their tickets and and no one buys them.....But I know us U2 fans have been waiting years for a tour so I m sure the scalpers will make some $$ somehow...