I talked to fanfire

[miracle drug]

Well, apparently 17-1800 GA tix were made available through presale. The guy wasn't sure if that was per venue or across the board. Either way, I would like to know where those went. And how they went away.

Basically, we need to figure out how the system was set up and determine what went wrong. I believe that fanfire was the middle man, so they don't really know what happened. However, both they and Principle Management should have determined how Ticketmaster was going to conduct their services. It seems as if the system is set up for brokers and not fans.

Since pretty much all of us were going after GA seats, I'm trying to figure out how many U2.com members ACTUALLY got GA seats. I'm not talking reserved. ONLY GA. Can we set up something or figure this out?

 

[ramblin rose]

Well, apparently 17-1800 GA tix were made available through presale. The guy wasn't sure if that was per venue or across the board. Either way, I would like to know where those went. And how they went away.

Basically, we need to figure out how the system was set up and determine what went wrong. I believe that fanfire was the middle man, so they don't really know what happened. However, both they and Principle Management should have determined how Ticketmaster was going to conduct their services. It seems as if the system is set up for brokers and not fans.

Since pretty much all of us were going after GA seats, I'm trying to figure out how many U2.com members ACTUALLY got GA seats. I'm not talking reserved. ONLY GA. Can we set up something or figure this out?

Well if it would have been per venue thats almost all GA for each venue, so I almost have to think it was across all venues.

 

[fmattyh]

No way 1700-1800 per venue. That sounds like about what SHOULD have been released, but is that what actually happened? No way that such a low percentage of us have GA success if that many tickets are released. Then again, when you have people on eBay magically getting loads of GA tickets...

 

[hef4u2]

I JUST TALKED TO FANFARE. 1-800-615-1324

THEY SAID 10% WERE RELEASED FOR THE PRE-SALE.

90% FOR EVERYONE ELSE, BUT DUES PAYING MEMBERS ONLY GET 10%.

I ASKED FOR A REFUND OF MY $40 FOR MY MEMBERSHIP, THEY TOOK MY INFORMATION, I'LL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

APPARENTLY THEIR THE ONLY VOICE OF U2.COM SO GIVE THEM A CALL AND DEMAND YOUR MONEY BACK.

 

[Halup]

That 1700-1800 if accurate means that over the 13 presales that were done today, that an average of around 130-135 GAs were sold per venue. While that may be standard for a presale with bands, it is way below the expectations that U2 themselves have created with their fans. U2 build up such a great reputation with Propaganda for helping out the hard core fans, that they've put their whole reputation on the line going this route with internet presales.

I actually was naive enough to think that maybe U2 would have allowed as many as 1,000 of the 1,800 GAs per venue be sold to the hardcore fans in the presale, based on their previous ways of handling ticketing.

 

[jammin909]

I called and made a request for a refund too. I basically said memberships should have been capped once they knew demand for good tickets was not going to be satisfied. It was sickening hearing the u2 music in the background when being so mad at them.

 

[jammin909]

And the supervisor told me they have over 100k PAID members. Do the math.....$4 million. GREED.

 

[MrBrau1]

And the supervisor told me they have over 100k PAID members. Do the math.....$4 million. GREED.

And after 1/25/05 the revenue from U2.com on the U2 balance sheet went from six figures to $0. Someone has to sit in a meeting and explain why those numbers dropped, and how to get them back up. It's a terrible business failure. Nobody will be buying U2.com memberships after this.

 

[nbcrusader]

People will still buy the t-shirts and posters. U2.com will laugh their asses off to the bank.

Absent an investigation (I am considering filing a complaint throught the CA Attorney General's office) nothing will happen.

 

[bonoed]

the email answer from TM was hilarious. Excerpts:

"Ticketmaster's main goal is simply to provide a computerized ticket distribution system. Ticketmaster sells tickets on behalf of promoters, teams, bands and venues, which means Ticketmaster does not set the ticket prices or determine seating locations. "

WELL HOW ABOUT ACTUALLY "PROVIDING" THIS 'SYSTEM.'

"Tickets are generally sold through several distribution points, including online, Charge-by-Phone centers, ticket centers and box offices. All distribution points access the same ticketing system and inventory, therefore, tickets for popular events may sell out quickly. Occasionally, additional tickets may be available prior to the event, however Ticketmaster does not control this inventory or its availability." UH NO THEY WEREN'T.

"Thank you for your e-mail. We apologize for any inconvenience that you may have encountered while attempting to purchase tickets during the U2 presale."

INCONVENIENCE? That qualifies as the biggest understatement of 2005.

 

[Matthew_Page2000]

1,700 GA tickets for 13 shows. For the "Premium" U2.com members. I've been jacked before. I've been scammed. I've been fooled before, but I've never felt this STUPID before.
What a scam.

90,000 members
x40 cost per ticket (U.S. dollars)
---------
$3,600,000

The good news is that I got a swell keychain. Or maybe it's a membership card. I dunno exactly what it is. But it's metal. And it says U2 on it. Holy Sh-i-it.
What a moron I've been. And what a dirty bunch of grasping, greedy thieves U2 have turned into.

p.s.- And I thought I was stupid when I bought two versions of the album. The special "book" to get Fast Cars for $35 and the regular release for $16 to actually get the lyrics which they mysteriously forgot to include with the book.

 

[northandsouth]

i keep dreaming that i get a random email in the middle of the night that tells me to bring my keychain to tower records to pick up my GA tickets.

wouldn't that be nice!

 

[mellyinsf]

i keep dreaming that i get a random email in the middle of the night that tells me to bring my keychain to tower records to pick up my GA tickets.

wouldn't that be nice!

 

[max40401]

i keep dreaming that i get a random email in the middle of the night that tells me to bring my keychain to tower records to pick up my GA tickets.

wouldn't that be nice!

Except then there'd be another uproar from those of us who still haven't even received that swell keychain!

 

[Guinness Stout]

mine is just heavy enough to throw across the arena onto the stage from my nosebleed seats

 

[oceane]

17-1,800 GA total would make sense, since it seems about 10% of the tickets went onsale, and as we understood it was about 10% for each category.

This is already ridiculously low if there is in fact 100k U2.com paying suscribers, even if not all of them are in North America. But even then, where are those 1,800 fans with GA tickets right now? I understand not everybody is active on fan forums and all, but the few people around here who seem to have been able to get GA tix suggest that not even that amount went to the fans.

I wonder is those 100k people really are all fans... That's a LOT of people.

Also, that 90% of the tickets will go on sale this weekend is bullshit. Only a portion of total tickets go for the general sales. My guess is that less than 700 GA tickets per show will in fact be available for the public on Saturday.

 

[jammin909]

p.s.- And I thought I was stupid when I bought two versions of the album. The special "book" to get Fast Cars for $35 and the regular release for $16 to actually get the lyrics which they mysteriously forgot to include with the book.

I totally forgot how ripped off I felt after buying the "special edition" album. Well they sure have been assholes lately. Time to find a new favorite band.

 

[trish0860]

I haven't even gotten the frigging keychain yet.

 

[artdirector]

Something I've been thinking is this:

We still have a chance to get GA tickets this Saturday. If you can get your money back from u2.com that would be a great thing. I'm done e-mailing U2.com over and over again for my Propaganda Discount. It's freakin ridiculous. Also if you have an AMEX Gold Card, you have a chance to get tickets to the shows through them. Supposively they have an angle with ticketmaster for members of their card. So what does this mean. Brokers, E-bay, AMEX and who knows who else is in this for the money and so is U2.com. Sebastian Clayton said it clearly: If we want more than the basic video, pics and news from the site we are going to have to pay for it. So with that said start planning other ways to see them. Buy the nose bleed seats and listen to some good rock and roll. Stay after the concert and visit with the boys. The last tour, I went to 4 shows of which once I was in GA and the rest I roamed the arena. But each time I stayed after the concert waiting for 2 hours until the band came out and they chatted with a few of us. And I mean a few of us. It sucks what these corporations have ripped us but make sure to see the band live. It may be the last time we see them in concert.