A Graphic Picture of the Pre-sale Fiasco

[U2@NYC]

Check this site:

http://www.myerslafferty.com/msg_tickets.pdf

(please, if you can post the picture directly in this thread, be my guest).

This is an initiative started by a fan named 'sixtoe' in U2.con's Zootopia. It shows that 7% of total fans that were able to buy anything at MSG bought GAs. 0% bought seats in the loge and 100 levels. And of course, many fans did not get anything (and should be plotted outside of the building).

On the other hand, the second page shows E-bay auctions for MSG tickets as of yesterday noon. Quite a dramatic difference.

"U2.com will offer fans the best seats in the house".

Isn't it ironic, don't you think?



P.S. These charts are underway to Principle Management via fax (which is my third one this week, my two previous ones were conveniently ignored).

 

[RobertWiscy]

That sums it up right there.

 

[Laura M]

U2.com offered the most loyal fans the chance to throw $40 down the drain basically and if they did get seats, they weren't good.

All the joe bloggs out there who don't really like U2 that much but want to go to a concert will queue up outside a ticketmaster outlet and buy good tickets the day they go on sale to the public.

The loyal fans have lost money and it's the ordinary punter who didn't get the subscription will get "the best seats in the house".

What a joke.

 

[U2@NYC]

Fax sent. If anyone could support the cause and send these charts to the press, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[andrew_farrell]

I would post them as jpegs on here, but I'm not allowed to attach files

 

[U2@NYC]

Maybe the mods can help posting it?

 

[barry70]

Mine is missing on that chart. I was quite lucky - Section 71, 7th Row -- side stage.

 

[grant72]

that is unbelievable!!!!

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

i don't know why anyone is surprised by all of this

the worst kept secret in the entertainment business is that ticketmaster is in bed with the major ticket brokers/scalpers... it's a matter of time before it comes out that the CEOs of ticketmaster get a kick back from the brokers in exchange for tickets. it's payola times 10

 

[nbcrusader]

i don't know why anyone is surprised by all of this

the worst kept secret in the entertainment business is that ticketmaster is in bed with the major ticket brokers/scalpers... it's a matter of time before it comes out that the CEOs of ticketmaster get a kick back from the brokers in exchange for tickets. it's payola times 10

The surprise occurred when U2.com's presale gave us access to only 10% of the total tickets.

So much for access to the best seats in the house.....

 

[peach]

This is very sad, and wrong.

 

[neutral]

Oh why not.

 

[boosterjuice]

Ebay tickets GA ticket amounts may be exaggerated. Those selling the tickets on ebay might not actually have the tickets in their posession. They are most likely forecasting that will acquire them in the general sale.

 

[jedi Larry]

Good point booster.

And about Ticketmaster: Didn't Pearl jam and Garth Brooks take them on and lose?

Can't compete with corporate America....kickbacks or not.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

pearl jam did indeed lose...

but pearl jam did stick it to ticketmaster a bit... their fan club tickets are done through the fan club it's self... ticketmaster is not involved. only the general public sales are done through ticketmaster.

at the two MSG shows on pearl jam's last tour, there were 5,000 & 8,000 Ten Club tickets sold... that's a big chunk of change out of ticketmaster's coffers.

seeing as pearl jam sets every seat in the house at the same price... $39.00 for the last tour, i do believe... plus the 8 dollar ticketmaster service charge... ticketmaster probably lost at least a quarter of a million bucks on those two shows alone.

 

[u2gator]

During Pearl Jam's short tour back in October for the Vote for Change they did use ticketmaster to handle the fanclub tickets but for their presale all tickets were available for purchase without any limitations so the best seats in the house did go to fan club members. Pre-sales can work properly if a band really wants it to.

u2gator

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

During Pearl Jam's short tour back in October for the Vote for Change they did use ticketmaster to handle the fanclub tickets but for their presale all tickets were available for purchase without any limitations so the best seats in the house did go to fan club members. Pre-sales can work properly if a band really wants it to.

u2gator

that was a different scenario... they were forced to use ticketmaster...

see the official ten club ticketing statement from pearl jam for the "vote for change" tour below...

Yes, yes, yes!!! Ten Club and Pearl Jam are proud to announce a presale ticket opportunity to the Vote For Change tour for all eligible Ten Club members. Please read carefully.
Because this is not an exclusive Pearl Jam tour but a political fundraiser for ACT, we are required to work in conjunction with Ticketmaster to provide tickets for the benefit of America Coming Together. If you are an active Ten Club member as of August 6, 2004, you have the opportunity to participate in a password-protected presale through Ticketmaster for the Pearl Jam shows on the Vote for Change tour. Please note, standard Ten Club ticketing policies are not valid for this presale, therefore seniority for seat selection does not apply.

Due to the federal regulations of Pearl Jam's involvement with Vote for Change, you must be at least 18 years of age and a registered U.S. Citizen to purchase tickets to these shows. No exceptions.

You may access the Ticketmaster presale with a special access code, which you will receive via email. You will be allowed to purchase 2 tickets to each Pearl Jam show on the Vote for Change tour while supplies last. Ticket price will be $50 USD each, plus applicable fees and taxes. If you elect to purchase tickets to the Vote for Change tour, you are making a financial contribution to ACT.

The presale will begin on August 19, 2004 at 10AM local time and end at 5PM local time. Please note, all tickets for venues located in the Eastern time zone will go on sale promptly at 10AM EDT. Tickets for venues located in Central time zones will be available at 10AM CDT. Ticket prices and show venues are subject to change.

 

[u2gator]

You are correct in that it was a different scenario for that tour but the point is that they used ticketmaster and did not put a limit of releasing only 10% of the tickets for the presale. They had all tickets available and the tickets available were the best ones in the house. Obviously demand was not as high as this U2 tour but it still shows that U2 management could have forced ticketmaser to open all seats to fan club members giving us the opportunity to truly buy the best seats in the house. Right after the PJ pre-sale fans were posting their seats and how great they were not that tickets were either sold out or that they were at the complete opposite end of the arena. They even had one Boston show at the Fleet Center that was almost all fan club members. What is the issue with U2 if the MSG show or one of the Boston shows would have been practically sold out to fan club memebers before the general on sale even took place?

 

[joyfulgirl]

During Pearl Jam's short tour back in October for the Vote for Change they did use ticketmaster to handle the fanclub tickets but for their presale all tickets were available for purchase without any limitations so the best seats in the house did go to fan club members. Pre-sales can work properly if a band really wants it to.

u2gator

Hi Gator! Remember me from Indianapolis GA line?

 

[slapshot]

What is the issue with U2 if the MSG show or one of the Boston shows would have been practically sold out to fan club memebers before the general on sale even took place?

This is exactly what I don't understand about the whole mess. U2.com members are the hardcore, road-trippin' fans who go to multiple shows wherever they can get tickets. What would have been the problem if the entire tour sold out during the presale, with multiple dates added for the general sale Saturday? I mean, picture the goodwill and buzz from this headline: "U2 Fanclub members get all tix for upcoming tour; 30 extra shows added due to high demand". I just don't see how this could have been a problem, at all, for anyone.

C.

 

[U2@NYC]

This is exactly what I don't understand about the whole mess. U2.com members are the hardcore, road-trippin' fans who go to multiple shows wherever they can get tickets. What would have been the problem if the entire tour sold out during the presale, with multiple dates added for the general sale Saturday? I mean, picture the goodwill and buzz from this headline: "U2 Fanclub members get all tix for upcoming tour; 30 extra shows added due to high demand". I just don't see how this could have been a problem, at all, for anyone.

C.

I agree, the problem is that if you would go through a system like Prop you would have no idea whether the show sold out until you mail everyone their tickets.

To know whether a show has been sold out online you have to go through Ticketbastard, which apparently has this ridiculous and unfounded policy of restricting pre-sales to 10% of the total venue. I find no substance for this policy.

 

[pookersmom]

U2.com offered the most loyal fans the chance to throw $40 down the drain basically and if they did get seats, they weren't good.

All the joe bloggs out there who don't really like U2 that much but want to go to a concert will queue up outside a ticketmaster outlet and buy good tickets the day they go on sale to the public.

The loyal fans have lost money and it's the ordinary punter who didn't get the subscription will get "the best seats in the house".

What a joke.

I'm one of U2's MOST loyal fans, and I had no intention of paying an extra $40 for tickets that are already horrendously overpriced; it just didn't make any sense to me. I'll be taking my chances with the regular sale tomorrow morning. And I doubt I'll be getting the best seats in the house, since those would presumably be the General Admission seats, and I can't bring myself to do General Admission at my advanced age (hehe).

Seriously, why is no one complaining about the price of the tickets?? I think they're ridiculous. I mean, I'll still pay it, and I guess that makes me a major contributor to the problem, but they're out of line. $160 for mediocre seats; $95 for even worse seats. It's crazy. And I'm crazy to pay that much, but I guess I'm crazier about U2 and so will do it. But not gladly. It better be their best freakin' show ever, that's all.

 

[Diemen]

U2.com offered the most loyal fans the chance to throw $40 down the drain basically and if they did get seats, they weren't good.

All the joe bloggs out there who don't really like U2 that much but want to go to a concert will queue up outside a ticketmaster outlet and buy good tickets the day they go on sale to the public.

The loyal fans have lost money and it's the ordinary punter who didn't get the subscription will get "the best seats in the house".

What a joke.

Bullshit.

[rant]
Look, I know it really sucks how this all was handled. But to say that the ordinary Joe schmoe fan is going to get the best seats (while implying that you don't have that same opportunity) is absolute bullshit. Is it somehow impossible for you to queue in line, too? If good seats mean that much to you, I would expect you'd be the first in line when the general sale starts.

JUST BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T GET TICKETS DURING THE PRESALE DOES NOT MEAN YOU CAN'T GET GOOD TICKETS. The presale was not a guarantee of tickets. It was never stated to be a guarantee of tickets. Those of you that signed on under the assumption it was signed on for the wrong reason, simple as that.

I'm getting really sick of all the extreme melodrama in here. Quite frankly a lot of it is getting pathetic - this is turning into the I Hate U2 forum. You still have another opportunity to get tickets. if one bad ticket experience has ruined your opinion of U2, then geez, your opinion must not have been much of anything to begin with. This defeatist bellyaching attitude has gone on long enough. If getting or not getting good tickets before everyone else is such a big deal, then you all should be the first in line before everyone else to get tickets on Sunday. You still have a chance. Suck it up and go for it.
[/rant]

 

[Flying FuManchu]

This is exactly what I don't understand about the whole mess. U2.com members are the hardcore, road-trippin' fans who go to multiple shows wherever they can get tickets. What would have been the problem if the entire tour sold out during the presale, with multiple dates added for the general sale Saturday? I mean, picture the goodwill and buzz from this headline: "U2 Fanclub members get all tix for upcoming tour; 30 extra shows added due to high demand". I just don't see how this could have been a problem, at all, for anyone.

C.

The hardcore U2 fans that follow U2 around many shows are also generally the ugliest fans. It's the fairweather or new fans who tend to be hotter/ prettier. The Boston situation from a while back is a case in point. The people up in front who waited a long time and went to multiple shows were passed over for the Boston DVD shows b/c they weren't that hot (obviously diehards to be able to get in the front of the line), so they picked people who were farther back in the line (prettier people tend to be later b/c they need to make themselves look hot and need the time to do it- they also have a life). Everything makes sense in the end.

 

[Flying FuManchu]

Actually I agree with jick that U2 shows business smarts by arranging the pre-sale the way they did. Subtley, influence fans into a situation where they think they will get GA tickets or nice seats, and then sort of give them something else. B/C they are the more die-hard fans, they will be willing to spend money on crap seats b/c there is a certain degree of uncertainty at the time of purchase if they can even go to a concert, I mean who wants to miss out, right?... so they click buy anyway. If I could make a killing of it, I would do the same.