A Solution to Help all those Left Out

[snowbunny00774]

For those that are having trouble with tickets, I can't understand it. I got more tickets this tour through TM than I ever have...I have friends that have gotten into every single show so far with a GA ticket that was purchased the day of the show for face value. It's not that hard. Concerts are NEVER sold out. [/B]

CMB...Get ur head out of ur a**...I am in London Ontario and when tickets went onsale for the TO shows I was logged in at the same time as my mom well b4 the sale...we were on speakerphone...twice she almost got tickets and Ticketb***ard at the very end told her there was an error...have you ever listened to ur mom be that upset? luckily I got 4 for the Mon and 4 for the Sat so I gave up my 2 for her and my dad, but without me she would have none. I have gone online every day to try to get tickets freed up for the Sat show to replace the ones given away...I have also posted here and elsewhere for tickets and absolutley no luck. Obviously I will be trying day of but that is no guarantee...so hopefully I have helped you "understand" how people end up with no tix.

 

[zoo99]

you have five months still. but wait you have eight tickets already, no wonder why I couldn't get any so far.Stop complaining.

 

[RadRacer]

Zoo99,

why not just use the money your willing to spend on gas towards your ticket ? anyhow I guarantee that you can find a ticket for $100 or less before or on the day of the either from a scalper or the box office/ticketmaster and your seat will be alot closer then what you would get in a stadium, so whats the problem?

You obviously don't get what this is about, for me. It's about fixing a broken system.

Seriously you've had four years to save up $100 , if it was that important to you there would be no problem.

You probably can't imagine somebody living barely above the poverty line. Well, I'm not quite, but I'm standing up for those people who are.

I won't keep talking indefinitely; you can kill my efforts, but as long as I feel I can make myself clearer to one person who hasn't understood, I'll continue doing that.

Originally by CMB:
For those that are having trouble with tickets, I can't understand it. I got more tickets this tour through TM than I ever have...I have friends that have gotten into every single show so far with a GA ticket that was purchased the day of the show for face value. It's not that hard. Concerts are NEVER sold out.

For real, CMB, get your head out out there. You've been told that how many times, and you still think there's no problem? Does it make you feel so damn good to tell other U2 fans that you know of so many avenues, but in the end you know nothing, because that's what you reply when asked.

Originally by Snowbunny:
...so hopefully I have helped you "understand" how people end up with no tix.

You tell 'em, Snowbunny! :highfive:

 

[beli]

No we can't, because people don't want to read, and they're only interested in derailing and chit-chatting.

Chizip did not post in this thread. Chizip posted that comment in another thread but you are quoting it here. Why? Taking a quote out of context to support your argument is at best, irresponsible, and at worst, fraud.

 

[nathan1977]

The myth: if U2 did another all-stadium tour, the shows would sell out, more people would attend, U2 would make more money and everyone would be happy.

The reality (at least so far as America is concerned): touring stadiums in the spring and fall would be a disaster, as U2 learned during PopMart, which was the first tour in U2's history that did not make money. (I cite "U2 Show" as my reference.) Zoo TV also came very close to being a financial sinkhole. Sure, both of these tours grossed incredible amounts of cash, but they also cost an incredible amount to stage -- Zoo TV was $125,000 a day, and PopMart was double that. Think about it: $250,000 a day, whether U2 played or not. The only way for U2 to do stadiums again would be to cook up another extraveganza, and I don't think they're interested in sweating their way through another tour that might not ever see an actual dime, because the reality is that PopMart was a fall/spring tour, and it was freezing in many of the venues, stifling interest in tickets. (Many people won't go to a stadium and huddle under a blanket to listen to a band half a football field away -- the diehards will, but the diehards won't fill stadiums across America.)

Could U2 go out with a stadium sized show and do an Elevation/Vertigo-style tour? Not in America during the window they have to do it. The only reason they're doing stadiums in Europe is because A) the timing is right, being summer, and B) stadiums are the only way to come close to satisfying demand, and they know it. The only real way they could make an American stadium tour work is to tour America through the summer and into fall. That means another two-year tour, when you factor in Europe, and at 45 I don't think they're interested. (U2 at the End of the World chronicles how exhausted they were during/at the end of the process).

 

[The OOTS]

Who does large stadium tours in the US anymore??

 

[ramblin rose]

Who does large stadium tours in the US anymore??

Alicia Keyes recently filled the Reliant Stadium in Houston.

 

[RadRacer]

Beli chirped:
Chizip did not post in this thread. Chizip posted that comment in another thread but you are quoting it here. Why? Taking a quote out of context to support your argument is at best, irresponsible, and at worst, fraud.

---By the way, Beli... WHAT IS THAT THING??!!

You guys, I'm taking my work a little more serious than:
Person A: "Bono's out of breath!"
Person B: "WTF"
etc,etc

I don't give one-liner answers. Cool people come in here all the time and some of them never come back, and you can never get in touch with them unless you're a premium member or they happen to read through all of the garbage that is hoisted high, here. So, there's no way of getting like-minded individuals together. This is my best attempt at making something like that.

Besides, you can put that quote in the context of this thread and it's still appropriate. If you ask me, it's universal.



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nathan,

The myth: if U2 did another all-stadium tour, the shows would sell out, more people would attend, U2 would make more money and everyone would be happy.

you may be right.

First of all, I wanna say thank you for being such a responsible conversational partner as to actually back-up what you say and not just say it and be stubborn about it. I'm not a facts-finder when it comes to U2; I'm actually about the fire that is in the GA experience... that is still a much controversial topic around here. I just recently saw Another Day's thread closed down (Lame fans inside the Ellipse ).

I could totally agree with Another Day, and it's painful to see him being torn down by other "fans" that come off to me as ignorant. I don't want to change all U2 fans' minds. I know some were made to watch a U2 show like it's television. I just wish I could go to a show where all those "television fans" would be in seats and all these half-banned people are in the GA with me, and we can prove to U2 what they've been missing, all these years, and that we HAVE a point, we have a heart and soul and there is a place in the world for us. I'm sure from Bono's lips, if he says "That's just a fuckin' awesome show, you guys, here, tonight!" this would change some people's minds in the speediest, most positive way.

But I've got a feeling some people would have Bono banned if he came onto this forum incognito and spoke his mind. He's rock n' roll, at heart, you gotta know that. And lots of people here only dig the new albums because they sound like country.


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Ramblin Rose:
Alicia Keyes recently filled the Reliant Stadium in Houston

Look, OOTS, Alicia Keys, a - what? - 17-year old girl fills a stadium?!?

I think U2 can do a couple in the US, too. I NEVER said ALL-stadia, P-E-O-P-L-E!

 

[Miggy D]

Fact is, for at least 5 of the last 6 shows, tickets were made available at FACE VALUE the day of the show! Most of these shows had GA tix available as well!! It just takes effort...some risk comes with it, but from the people I've talked to, you can get into most "sold out" U2 shows this way.

Hahaha. Bulllllllshit. If I could find GA tickets at face value I'd crown you the king of Egypt. GA tickets go for hundreds, sometimes THOUSANDS of dollars. Any person who'd sell GA tickets for face value is either the most benevolant person this side of Mother Theresa or clinically insane.

-Miggy D

 

[The OOTS]

Alicia Keys filling one stadium is hardly a stadium tour. The rest of her tour is in smaller theaters.

 

[The OOTS]

Hahaha. Bulllllllshit. If I could find GA tickets at face value I'd crown you the king of Egypt. GA tickets go for hundreds, sometimes THOUSANDS of dollars. Any person who'd sell GA tickets for face value is either the most benevolant person this side of Mother Theresa or clinically insane.

-Miggy D

It takes some patience but the venue box office is known to release some day of the show at face.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Look, OOTS, Alicia Keys, a - what? - 17-year old girl fills a stadium?!?

24... but who's counting.

i'm in new york... the MSG shows are the biggest victim of what you stated... people from out of state trying to get tickets / tickets going on e-bay for rediculous prices. i was shut out on ticketmaster to all but two of the 8 MSG shows, and what i got was either nosebleed or behind the stage.

that being said... i will be attending 6 different shows on this tour.
5/14 philly (GA), 5/17 (GA) & 5/18 new jersey, 5/21, 10/11 & 11/22 MSG... more shows than I've ever been to... and the 5/21 MSG show is the only one that I paid more than face value for... and even that ticket I managed to get for less than the average scalper price.

I'd like to see them go back to stadiums, too. So I agree with that part of your argument. But I guess the point I'm trying to make is that there are tickets available, and they aren't that hard to find... if you really wanted to, you could find tickets via interference or other u2 related web pages for at or near face value.

so baisicly you can either bitch and moan about not getting a ticket, or you can spend that time and energy searching for one instead... and odds are you'll be able to find one.

 

[60rosemount]

Walkon,

The comment about tickets being easy to get is painful, and probably to many on
these boards. I watied in line all afternoon at the LA show until 8:30 for GAs, and they sold out two people in front of me. If it's easy you are either lucky or well connected.

Being a diehard and getting good seats to a U2 show was easy before ebay. I think the most painful thing is sitting in line, getting nosebleeds, and coming home to the internet to find people 2000 mile from your venues willing to selling tickets to YOUR show.

There is no love for the music there, just an opportunity to make money off the U2 name. I'm not sure how it is different than selling a counterfeit shirt. Scalpers and brokers are making money off U2 without contributing anything to the music or the experience. They may say they are providing a service, but if they weren't snatching up all of the tickets in the first place, the fans wouldn't need this service.

U2 tours around the world to bring their music to the fans. They don't make us come to Dublin to see them. Since these events are locals why not limit tickets to a three or four hour driving radius? What if ticketmaster only sold tickets through local outlets for the first 72 hours, and phone and internet sales had to be shipped to a zip code within a 240 miles radius of the venue? I realize that this isn't a perfect solution for everyone, but at least it would give the local fans fighting chance against the ebay bastards. The initial 72 hours should also be only 4 tickets per transaction. I dont' know why it was bumped to eight, but this just plays in to broker and scalpers hands.

 

[walkon11]

Hahaha. Bulllllllshit. If I could find GA tickets at face value I'd crown you the king of Egypt. GA tickets go for hundreds, sometimes THOUSANDS of dollars. Any person who'd sell GA tickets for face value is either the most benevolant person this side of Mother Theresa or clinically insane.

-Miggy D

Then give me my crown. It's possible. As OOTS said, the box office sells tickets on many shows the day of. I was at Anaheim 1, and they released tickets that day...I heard they later released GA's (not quite sure if that did happen). Both San Diego shows had tickets at the box office day of, and Anaheim 2 sold GA's on show day. This is not to mention that some (and those are few) markets are softer than others (i.e. Phoenix) and tickets could be found on Ebay for little above face value. Point is, it IS possible.

 

[Miggy D]

Then give me my crown. It's possible. As OOTS said, the box office sells tickets on many shows the day of. I was at Anaheim 1, and they released tickets that day...I heard they later released GA's (not quite sure if that did happen). Both San Diego shows had tickets at the box office day of, and Anaheim 2 sold GA's on show day. This is not to mention that some (and those are few) markets are softer than others (i.e. Phoenix) and tickets could be found on Ebay for little above face value. Point is, it IS possible.

Right, but you're running the risk associated with the unknown. I could go to a venue the day of the show and not know for sure if they'll be selling tickets at the window. They might, they might not. And by the time I find out they're not selling any GAs the day of, I've already driven all the way to the venue only to be disappointed.

-Miggy

 

[Lila64]

I guess I'll put my two cents in here, for what it's worth. I understand that a band of this magnitude can play stadiums and probably easily sell out or fill them up (in bigger markets of course). But being the fan that I am, and probably being older than many of you, I have to disagree. In the 80s, I attended stadium shows for bands such as the Rolling Stones, The Who,... and I just did not enjoy sitting a football field away from the band and watching it on a big screen. It's just not the same, not to mention the other 80,000 people there, the parking the walking, yada yada yada. Perhaps that's why I missed U2 between 1983 (Sports Arena) and 1992 (Dodger Stadium). I saw U2 at Dodger Stadium on the '92 tour (Larry's birthday). We were at the back of the field. There were seats on the field, and we were in the very back - basically we just stood out there. I love seeing U2 anytime anywhere, but I just don't enjoy the show as much. To me, it seems quite "impersonal". Maybe if you are a casual fan or cannot afford otherwise, you would be happy just to be there. I saw opening night of the 'Pop' tour in '97, seats on the field (think that held about 35,000?). Still okay, but still... something missing. By playing the arenas, there is definitely the intimacy and the vibe there. I don't know how to explain it any better. They just connect, at least for me better. I saw them 6 times in S. Calif on the 'Elevation' tour: 4 from seats (ticket agencies) and 2 from the floor (ticket agencies again). The 2 on the floor, at least for me, just moved me. I was on the floor for Anaheim2 this year, and the feeling was the same. I had a seat in section 208 at Staples Center for LA1, and I enjoyed seeing the visuals of the show itself that I could only previously enjoy vicariously via the wonderful photos online. I was worried about the people around me sitting or not being "into it" being where I was, but luckily, the crowd was up and singing dancing the whole time, so I was happy about that. LA2 - I was closer to the rail (about 4-5 deep, the closest I've ever been). And now I'm spoiled. That's where I want to be, if not closer, every time. I'm thrilled to read about all the great stories of people getting into the ellipse or rail or just sharing the joy that is a U2 concert. I don't splurge in life, but when U2 comes to town, I want to catch that train, so to say. That's my only splurge. My family & friends probably think I'm crazy, but their music just moves me and touches me in a way that no other band has and that probably only people in the chatrooms can relate to. I've seen numerous bands over the years and over various genres, but U2 does it for me. Period. I need the intimacy that comes with seeing a band of U2's stature at the smallest place they will play - arenas of 15-20K.

If they were to resort to playing stadiums, I'm afraid I would be somewhat disappointed because I don't know how any band can connect to 80,000+ people playing a stadium. Unless of course you 'have a friend' who can get you in, or you have the financial ability to be where you want to be in the stadium.

One more thing, I spoke to a girl at a party a couple of years ago. She worked for what is now Clear Channel (boo!). She indicated that the band dictates how much they want to play a certain city/venue. For example, when the Stones came to town last, they apparently wanted one million a night to play Staples. So then tickets are priced accordingly. I think face value for loge seats for a Stones concert was $300. Who the hell can afford that? Not to mention taking the family! And to the band who has all the money in the world? What kind of fan, new or old, can afford that? My friend got comped seats thru her lawfirm/work she had done for someone. And to top it off, I hear the show wasn't "all that". And what pisses me off even more than the Stones asking for that kind of money... Paul McCartney came to town in 2002. To take my daughter to Staples to see her first concert (she loves the Beatles, and she was 8 at the time), I had to pay over $250 for 2 tickets in the 206 section of Staples. This man is a billionaire, still he dictates these high prices. And he's touring at the end of the year, and I read tickets are face value $50-250 in some areas. I'm spoiled in that I can't sit in nosebleed seats, but he really pisses me off. I know he's active in charities, but if each ticket said "A portion of the proceeds will go to (fill in worthy cause here)" and donated it to charity, I might be okay with that.

Seeing U2 this year (so far, 3 shows) = $500+
T-shirt + program = $55
The Miracle Drug that for me is U2 = Priceless

 

[u2wedge]

I agree with Lila. I am 34 and during in the late 80's and early 90's I saw a few concerts in the Carrier Dome in Syracuse including the Rolling Stones and U2. At the time tickets cost about $20 bucks and that seemed like an acceptable price for nosebleeds even then. Today things are different and stadium shows really offer more risk than reward... bad weather, crowd control, and insurance costs, to name a few.

But think about this (I was talking to someone about this the other day actually...), when is the last time there was a tour in the US that was entirely (or in large part) stadium based? The last time I saw a concert in a stadium was Dave Matthews at Rich Stadium in Buffalo 2001 (3 weeks after Elevation). DMB was still huge then and the entire upper bowl of the arena was empty. (as opposed to the Grateful Dead who had people rocking in the top rows of the same venue back in '92 - i should scan my pics, they're quite amazing...)

Stadium shows in the US are a thing of the past for a number of reasons... local ordinances, insurance costs (cheaper to insure a venue against 20000 ticketholders than 50000), and general quality of product. Axver's comment really doesn't mean much because U2 does play multiple shows in the citiies that could support an arena show. Let's take NYC for example. U2 could play a couple stadium shows in Giants stadium (yes, I know it's in NJ) and the same number of people would see them that will see them play their 8! shows at MSG, AND those people will have a better experience because it's in a smaller venue. Would you rather see U2 once in NYC or have a chance to see them a few times? U2 knows that its fans want to be up close and that is what they are doing (at least in the states) Maybe the mentality is different in Europe and hence the different format? The band is busting their asses to give everyone as close up an experience as possible. They are playing more shows to see the same, if not larger, audience. People who cannot get tickets simply need to position themselves better to do so. Ticket buying is a different game these days. If you're more than 10-20 people deep in a box office line you'll never get tickets. Don't have a broadband connection? Go to a library. Believe it or not, tickets are easier to get now than ever. Back in '87 if you didn't get a ticket at ticketmaster, your only other bet was a scalper outside the venue. There was no eBay, stubhub, or trading forums online. It couldn't be MORE convenient to buy tickets these days. As recently as Elevation in 2001 you'd have a great chance of getting a ticket by standing in line. Today your best bet is online, hands down. It's a sign of the times. Acoustically, visually, and economically, arena venues make the best sense to put on a show for the amount that needs to be charged to produce a show.

With that all being said, I will add that the ZooTV Outside Broadcast in Saratoga was an unforgettable experience. It would be nice to have a few random outside shows. Ahh.. those were the days.

 

[RadRacer]

OOTS,

Alicia Keys filling one stadium is hardly a stadium tour. The rest of her tour is in smaller theaters.

Yeah, but she played at least one stadium. U2 can't even play one stadium

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HEADACHE,

so baisicly you can either bitch and moan about not getting a ticket, or you can spend that time and energy searching for one instead... and odds are you'll be able to find one.

I'm not trying to moan; I'm all about action - so if you want a change in the system you better support me or get out of my way. If you guys wanna go on grovelling for tickets forever, be my guest. But if that's the way it shall be, I will even have quit thinking about U2 long before you're done running the obstacle course.
U2 are touring the world. Now, for those who are not seeing them this tour, watching them pass us by - I've heard it so often: "Real U2 fans know the avenues to get at tickets." That usually means hopping around on Craigslist, ticketmaster, eBay, Yahoo groups, forums, and other extra hassles. Well, if being a U2 fan means wasting your entire life campaigning for tickets, then I don't want any of it! Making you jump through all those hoops and perform acrobatic tricks may be some persons' idea of proving your loyalty to the band, but I beg to differ, and you should tell me who is right when you see me on the floor, going off like a rocket, and they're standing there, hugging a rail, because they don't want to take their eyes off that leather jacket

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60rose,

There is no love for the music there, just an opportunity to make money off the U2 name. I'm not sure how it is different than selling a counterfeit shirt. Scalpers and brokers are making money off U2 without contributing anything to the music or the experience. They may say they are providing a service, but if they weren't snatching up all of the tickets in the first place, the fans wouldn't need this service.

This will probably confuse, and perhaps even infuriate, you, but about a month ago, I saw people on this forum thanking eBay (read: the scalper community on eBay) and calling it a lifesaver for GIVING them the opportunity to get into all those sold-out shows. ... I can only imagine the gratitude with which they mortgaged their home to afford this "lifesaving".

 

[Miggy D]

RadRacer - I thought you stated at the beginning of this thread that it was your last post.

Why are you still posting? Is this a farewell tour?

If you're going to do something, do it. Don't make grand proclamations and then backtrack. You're just full of hot air.


-Migdilio

 

[RadRacer]

Aaah, I finally get it! I finally see it!

u2wedge:
U2 knows that its fans want to be up close and that is what they are doing (at least in the states) Maybe the mentality is different in Europe and hence the different format?

U2 are bending to the taste of the American audiences. Americans have become incapable of enjoying a stadium concert. One is left to assume that Europeans simply are more hardcore.

A cool idea by 60rosemount:
U2 tours around the world to bring their music to the fans. They don't make us come to Dublin to see them. Since these events are locals why not limit tickets to a three or four hour driving radius? What if ticketmaster only sold tickets through local outlets for the first 72 hours, and phone and internet sales had to be shipped to a zip code within a 240 miles radius of the venue? I realize that this isn't a perfect solution for everyone, but at least it would give the local fans fighting chance against the ebay bastards. The initial 72 hours should also be only 4 tickets per transaction. I dont' know why it was bumped to eight, but this just plays in to broker and scalpers hands.

That's some good thinking, but I think my idea would take care of that. We've only delved into the highs and lows of a stadium tour, but we've not discussed the more important part of my original post, and I think it's independent of whether they play STADIA or ARENAS. READ THIS IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY:

Originally posted by RadRacer:
I have a proposition to make that would make it fairer for real U2 fans: Why not put all the announced shows on one leg on sale the same day, the same hour. I know ticketmaster would be overloaded, but wouldn't it make all the U2 fans buy tickets at their nearest venue, before trying to get tickets for other cities? Think about it, with the way it's now, people from California are trying to get tickets for Florida because they have the time and because, once fans have been shut out from their local venue, many are willing to pay extra for it. If it would be done this way, you could still go and see U2 on multiple dates, via friends, release of additional tickets as the date nears, or a (fortunately weakend) eBay/scalper/ticket broker avenue. But, wouldn't it be nicer to know that every city you see them in would, first and foremost, include local fans in the audience?

Finally,

u2wedge:
as opposed to the Grateful Dead who had people rocking in the top rows of the same venue back in '92 - i should scan my pics, they're quite amazing...)

Cool! I'd be interested in seeing that. Sounds like ELEVATION 1992 Can you load them up?

 

[RadRacer]

Man, I'm totally stuck on this post, today, like a fly to a wall. ... Don't know if that made sense...

But, hey, Miggy D, pipe down, man! I almost got banned twice and I still live - how about you??! But I don't change my values. I may come into some new info - that's what debate is about - and adjust my position. But I'm not afraid. I don't censor myself (maybe just a tad bit, to keep you-know-who off my back). But I tell you straight what I think, until the day I fly.

I like your idea about the farewell tour. I compare my work here on Interference to touring in support of an album. Because you drop a thread and then you come back to support it. The way it's going right now, looks like this is my most successful "album".

 

[Lila64]

u2wedge wrote:
People who cannot get tickets simply need to position themselves better to do so. Ticket buying is a different game these days. If you're more than 10-20 people deep in a box office line you'll never get tickets. Don't have a broadband connection? Go to a library. Believe it or not, tickets are easier to get now than ever. Back in '87 if you didn't get a ticket at ticketmaster, your only other bet was a scalper outside the venue. There was no eBay, stubhub, or trading forums online. It couldn't be MORE convenient to buy tickets these days

It may be physically easier to buy tickets today with the internet and all, but it definitely does not give you any more of a fair chance as say the scalpers or agencies or Joe Shmo trying to make a buck on a band such as U2. Any band of their size/stature, everyone knows you can make a buck on. In the general sales for all the U2 shows (the 2 in L.A.), I never got thru once, even after trying continually for over an hour, and then again later in the day. I got one seat in the presale for 1 show, and wasn't even able to use my u2.com pre-sale code again. I didn't want to settle for nosebleed seats in the pre-sale either. People speak of how they all got their GAs in pre-sales or thru ticketmaster. They don't know how lucky they are. And ticket agencies have been around forever, I'm guessing the dynamic just changed with the internet and then ebay, which I don't recall being as big as it is today as it was in 2001 / Elevation tour.

Another thing...I recently tried to purchase tickets for Audioslave. They are playing the Wiltern in L.A., which holds about 1500 people. 10:00am rolls around on sale day, and not once did I ever get in (yes, I have DSL). About 20 minutes after being denied, I went to ebay and saw hundreds of tickets available. I have no idea how - I was not aware of a pre-sale or anything (the band's website and upkeep is lame - not even an email stating the band were going on tour or had a new album coming, but if I chatted there, maybe I would have known in advance, but still.) Tickets were face value at $36 (+ "convenience charges and assorted fees"). On ebay they were about $200 a pair. I ended up buying 1 for $66 and will be going alone...

It's hard to be fair with ticket sales when Ticketmaster has a monopoly on the market...

 

[STING2]

The myth: if U2 did another all-stadium tour, the shows would sell out, more people would attend, U2 would make more money and everyone would be happy.

The reality (at least so far as America is concerned): touring stadiums in the spring and fall would be a disaster, as U2 learned during PopMart, which was the first tour in U2's history that did not make money. (I cite "U2 Show" as my reference.) Zoo TV also came very close to being a financial sinkhole. Sure, both of these tours grossed incredible amounts of cash, but they also cost an incredible amount to stage -- Zoo TV was $125,000 a day, and PopMart was double that. Think about it: $250,000 a day, whether U2 played or not. The only way for U2 to do stadiums again would be to cook up another extraveganza, and I don't think they're interested in sweating their way through another tour that might not ever see an actual dime, because the reality is that PopMart was a fall/spring tour, and it was freezing in many of the venues, stifling interest in tickets. (Many people won't go to a stadium and huddle under a blanket to listen to a band half a football field away -- the diehards will, but the diehards won't fill stadiums across America.)

Could U2 go out with a stadium sized show and do an Elevation/Vertigo-style tour? Not in America during the window they have to do it. The only reason they're doing stadiums in Europe is because A) the timing is right, being summer, and B) stadiums are the only way to come close to satisfying demand, and they know it. The only real way they could make an American stadium tour work is to tour America through the summer and into fall. That means another two-year tour, when you factor in Europe, and at 45 I don't think they're interested. (U2 at the End of the World chronicles how exhausted they were during/at the end of the process).

Its not a myth, its a fact based on the massive number of sellouts and the speed of sellouts at Arena's around the USA with an average ticket price of $100 dollars. I understand the bands decision to play it safe in America, but clearly, the results of the past 10 weeks show that the band could do a stadium tour with ZOO TV levels of attendance.

As to the cost and profits of previous stadium tours, POPMART cost 214,000 a night for 11 months. The cost of the tour for U2 was 70 million dollars, but the GROSS was 171 million, which left the band with a 100 million dollar which is what promoter Michael Cohl guaranteed the band when he signed on to be their promoter for the tour.

As for ZOO TV, I'm less sure about that. I believe the Arena shows broke even, but then the band did make a profit for the Stadium shows. The production was huge and the ticket price of $30 dollars, while being the highest anyone had charged for a stadium tour back in 1992, was not a lot relative to the cost.

U2 is going to make Concert GROSS history this year. In the tours first 9 months to the end of December, the band will GROSS $300 million dollars worldwide, the first time anyone has GROSSED that much money in under 9 months. This will be the fourth $300 million dollar plus GROSSING tour in history. The Rolling Stones are the only other artist to GROSS more than $300 million dollars from a single tour.

The 31 show stadium tour of Europe with an average of 55,000 people a night, is completely soldout. Each show will GROSS around 5 million dollars meaning the European leg of the tour will GROSS $155 million plus! Still, there are large number of fans all over Europe who have been unable to get tickets. There may be enough demand in Europe for 20-30 more stadium shows.

 

[RadRacer]

I think people on Interference should slowly awaken and realize that this is a fact:

Originally posted by Lila64:
It may be physically easier to buy tickets today with the internet and all, but it definitely does not give you any more of a fair chance as say the scalpers or agencies or Joe Shmo trying to make a buck on a band such as U2. Any band of their size/stature, everyone knows you can make a buck on. In the general sales for all the U2 shows (the 2 in L.A.), I never got thru once, even after trying continually for over an hour, and then again later in the day.

Those Interferencers that want to tell you REAL FANS have NO PROBLEM getting tickets because they know how, and those Super Fans with inside connections and 10+ GAs from General Sales: don't you keep your good luck to yourself.
At this point, I would like to quote from something I read on a different forum:

Originally posted by Steveie9, on u2tours.com:
Brokers not only have connections with venues, Ticketmaster, etc., but they also have software that is able to get into the system much faster than the average concert goer. Its sad, but true. Ticketmaster had to change its system a few years ago for this very reason (Here in the U.S., We type in an encrypted word before tickets come up). I deal with computers and programmers every single day and I am confident in saying there is a crack for that already.

Its very simple. The artists must change the way they get tickets to their fans. It must start with them. Mail order has always worked well. Also, picking up tickets at will call is a great way. Maybe just be sent verification, and you need to bring that to the venue for your tickets.

Also -- its INSANE to have an 8 ticket limit. I have no idea who or why they thought of that...

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Sting2,
Thank you very much for coming back here. You've shed more light on the matter with actual numbers that, finally, put things into perspective.
I never got to hear your opinion on the idea stated in the first post (and recently re-stated by me), the one about the one-leg-total-sale (for lack of a better term). What do you think?

 

[Lila64]

that 8 ticket limit thing has to change. I mean, I don't know 7 people to take with me. If my friends want to go, they buy their own tickets for their husbands/wives/kids, and I buy for my family. 4 should be a limit, and if you do have many friends, you can each try and buy 4. What I mentioned about buying tickets above, I was only trying to buy 2!!! I ended up with 1 on the pre-sale, and never got to use my code again to purchase another (decent) ticket.

And the fact that Ticketmaster has a monopoly on concert ticket sales..

 

[zoo99]

Hey I want U2 to play at my local pub but you know what, its their decision not to, so If they want to play arena's to bad for you, U2 doesn't tell you where and how to do your job so stop telling them how to do theirs !

 

[coldplayfan777]

no offense to anyone, including U2 the band, but U2 will likely not play stadiums in the U.S. again...

the sales were poor for Popmart (sure, they may have made some money, but overall it had to have been much less than anticipated - as plenty of the venues were only half-filled).

U2, now, is a band that's concerned with maximizing its profit potential... which provides a better image: sold out arenas in the U.S. or half-empty stadiums? it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out here.

bottom line: like i said, U2 is about maximizing its profit potential now (ATYCLB + the last album are clearly over-produced and awfully "radio friendly" - or "less risky," "calculated" - whatever term you want to apply)... they were done that way for a reason: to maximize profits. 2 "sold out" tours in-a-row more than makes up for the "flop" that Popmart apparently was in '97 (and i say that as a BIG fan of the POP album and Popmart tour).

as much as it may grieve people, U2 are trying to cash in all the chips they have left... they have maybe one, or stretching it, 2 tour(s) left. even though they're rich b*st*rds, they're trying to do what any human would do - get as much in the good old retirement fund as possible.

i don't care if you flame me. this is the truth, put simply in blunt fashion. if you disagree with this perspective, fine. but if you do disagree with this, then the outcome is even worse - that means U2 made 2 "radio friendly" a.k.a. "calculated" albums in-a-row because they don't have it in them to be innovative (a la Achtung Baby) like they once did.

at least with the "cashing in" perspective, there's a "method to the madness." otherwise, they lose a lot of respect for going the "easy route" and not pushing themselves to the limits of creativity and artistry... instead, they repeat themselves (COBL = any number of songs off TUF, One Step Closer = The First Time, Kite = Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses, New York = Exit... i.e. they would be doing something they said in interviews that they never wanted to do: repeat themselves).

 

[RadRacer]

ColdPlayFan,

Flame you for your valuable insight? Only a fool would do that. As for myself, I found myself agreeing with virtually all of it.

A suspicion dawned on me from the very early days when I hopped onto Interference. I knew something smelled really bad about this, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it and I got rejected with a strong kick. There are a lot of idiots running around here who wouldn't know the truth if it hit them over the head with a rock. I think a lot of interferencers should check yours and STING2's post out.

I hate to see good work just fade away. I'll edit you and other great contributers to this cause up good and publish it here for more people to understand... just need some time....

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

HEADACHE,

I'm not trying to moan; I'm all about action - so if you want a change in the system you better support me or get out of my way. If you guys wanna go on grovelling for tickets forever, be my guest. But if that's the way it shall be, I will even have quit thinking about U2 long before you're done running the obstacle course.
U2 are touring the world. Now, for those who are not seeing them this tour, watching them pass us by - I've heard it so often: "Real U2 fans know the avenues to get at tickets." That usually means hopping around on Craigslist, ticketmaster, eBay, Yahoo groups, forums, and other extra hassles. Well, if being a U2 fan means wasting your entire life campaigning for tickets, then I don't want any of it! Making you jump through all those hoops and perform acrobatic tricks may be some persons' idea of proving your loyalty to the band, but I beg to differ, and you should tell me who is right when you see me on the floor, going off like a rocket, and they're standing there, hugging a rail, because they don't want to take their eyes off that leather jacket

did that even make sense?

 

[Lisa71]

What percentage of people in the each arena are seeing U2 multiple times? Honestly, is it really that many people? I don't think so. Even if it's 10% (and I think that's a high number) do you think that there still wouldn't be a scramble to get tickets... that the shows wouldn't sell out in 3 to 5 minutes? Sure they would. I think blaming not getting tickets on a small percent really isn't fair. I mean no disrepect with that.

As far as stadiums in the US. I just don't think they are going to do that anymore. Even if overall they still make money by doing it I think it's not fair to ask them to play to 1/2 empty stadiums in certain markets. They are still loosing money. I don't care how much money they make if they are loosing it in certain markets then I'm sure they won't come back. If U2 only played stadiums this tour I highly doubt we'd see them here in Tampa and then we'd all miss out. Not everyone can drive 4-6 hours to a show and besides, whose to say if they played a stadium in Miami that it wouldn't sell out and people still couldn't get tickets because it's their only stop in Florida. U2 are in high demand, and at the moment, I don't think that's gonna change. If anyone is to blame it's U2 and their popularity. Maybe next time they should make a sucky album then there will be plenty of tickets (Just Kidding)