U2.com was selling the membership as a replacement for Propaganda. I think that those who have never been members of Propaganda probably are not dissappointed today. I think that nowadays fans don't expect much from companies like Ticketmaster/Fanfire/Clear Channel so if that is all they know they are not dissappointed. But former Propaganda subscribers know how fans should be treated and therefore are dissappointed. The crux of the matter is that there are many people who payed $40 thinking they were getting an online replacement for Propaganda but instead they got the usual Fanfire/TM/Clear Channel experience.
Let me give you an example of what former Propaganda subscribers were expecting. Before Elevation, I received a paper form in the mail from Prop and filled it in with my first venue choice and my second venue choice and sent it in with a check for the price of two tickets to each show (4 total). A few weeks later in plenty of time for the show, I received an envelope with two GA tickets to MSG (NY) and 2 Golden Circle tickets (first few rows,midcourt) to Continental Airlines Arena (NJ) in the Spring. Then when more shows were added in the fall I received another form from Prop, this time I was limited to only one show. I filled it in and received two more Golden Circle (again first few rows, midcourt) tickets to MSG. So to recap, with Prop, I purchased the chance to get a total of six truly premium tickets to three different shows, in two arenas in the NY metro area, on two legs of one of the highest grossing tours in history for a grand total of $20.
With my discounted U2.com membership, this morning I purchased two tickets for the top tier (aka, nosebleed) of MSG. I will not be able to purchase anymore tickets using this "exclusive" membership for the rest of the tour. And like, my old Prop membership, U2.com cost me $20. I can see how those who spent $40 would be doubly peeved.
Don't get me wrong, I am happy to be in the building, but you can see how a "spoiled" Prop member would see this as a rip off. I don't mind them charging as much as they did. After all, it is my choice to buy the membership. It's just that they really did market it as a viable replacement for Propaganda. If I knew that it would fall this short of what I got from Prop, I would not have joined.
I feel even worse for those who payed $40 and weren't able to buy any tickets because of technical reasons and because they just weren't available.