U2 Ticket Sales 101 - 12/4/14 and onward

[clerks]

Xmas season is a bad time to sell tickets (ironically). People are too busy spending their money on other things like iPads to put under the tree or in my case Hanukakah bush.

Also, not a strong album to many people, especially non fans.

But there's a good chance a few left over tix was always the case last few tours and we just don't remember. I mean selling 95% of tix so quickly is pretty solid for any band.

 

[The_acrobat]

While I'm sure all these shows will eventually sell out, it doesn't exactly paint a picture of HIGH DEMAND. I'm just afraid this will effect their 2016 touring plans.

 

[ChargedVT]

While I'm sure all these shows will eventually sell out, it doesn't exactly paint a picture of HIGH DEMAND. I'm just afraid this will effect their 2016 touring plans.

Exactly. If they had had stuck to just 2 shows for all cities this year, the demand would still be through the roof for the stadium shows.
If they saturate their market now it would kill ticket sales for next year.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

They stayed away too long, the album has not received the (positive) attention they had hoped, and Bono took a nose dive right before they were due to kick off their pre-tour announcement North American promo-tour, which they probably hoped would alleviate some of the negative press from the release method.

Plus they released the tour on short notice in the middle of the holiday shopping season when many had already allocated their expendable income elsewhere.

All things considered... With a that's working against them,they did pretty well here. It shows how well liked they actually are, that they were still able to virtually sell out every show when so much was not in their favor.

 

[The_acrobat]

Yeah, the album release pissed off a lot of people, but it made even more people become indifferent to U2. They've become somewhat of a punchline. This all leads to people thinking "fuck them, they haven't been good in a decade, there's no way I'd spend 100 or 300 to see them!" When in fact I think this SOI album is fantastic, and I can't wait to hear it live.

This whole campaign was fucked from the get go. It's sad.

 

[prbiker15]

At least people are still buying tickets.

 

[last unicorn]

It's not unusual for those very expensive seats to remain available for some time. It's holiday season as well, many people are considering trying for tickets after Christmas when there's money available again. Plus, everyone's busy and has different things on their minds right now. Having said that, I don't see many tickets being available for European shows, I think they are mostly sold out. The expensive tickets will sell as well, concerts are almost a year away, or be lowered in price. Personally I know a lot of people who don't want to buy tickets so much time in advance. I'm also not a fan of these early ticket sales. Once the dates are approaching, I'm sure there won't be a free seat in the house.

 

[volcano]

I think they made a mistake doing so many shows in one area. They should have spread it out more.

 

[Teta040]

Very simple: Paul McG would have known what to do--he knows from long experience how to plan a tour, just where to sell and how much, he'd have given the tour announcement well in advance so people could save money, and there's no way we'd have so many high-tier price seats or the GA stealing. He'd have known how to run the fan club better too. O$eary is LN' puppet and you can't treat U2 like, say, the Stones. they know jack s%#%. And now it's coming back to bite them. Way to wreck something great.

Poor Paul--he must be watching all this going down and thinking "I told you so." But I still have found myself shaking my head--the spill happened RIGHT BEFORE the all-important NA promo leg was going to take off. They need these TV appearances to tell Americans that they actually had something worthwhile to clog phones with...Dammit, just one rendition of EBW on TV...I have found myself wondering at Divine providence or not...do you think that, say, a Grammy appearance by the band can reverse this? Can we get momentum going again? I think it's possible...that must be what he's aiming for..

 

[Galeongirl]

Sure, because Guy doesn't know shit and he planned this tour all by himself. U2 have no influence on that at all.


And the seats are priced identical to last tour fyi..

 

[Hewson]

And the seats are priced identical to last tour fyi..

No, they are a little higher.

 

[Teta040]

No, really. Some things the band can have control over, but I think you're overestimating the amount of control they have had here. I think they ceded more to LN than you think. Things have changed since 2009, my friend. U2 have known what to do in the past...but the rules have changed now. Live nation runs the fan club and U2.com now. Do you *really* think the band wants GA's in resale, ticket restrictions to fan club, or half the bloody arena at $300? Even if they're greedy, they've always treated fans with some decency. Do you think they planned 24 hr notice of sales? Glad to know it wasn't just me that was glad the sales are being stretched out, so we could come up with money at short notice. That must have beenone rare thing the band must wanted and been able to persuade LN to do.

I still think LN forced U2 to fire Paul last yr--"you either get rid of him and allow us to buy PM, or you can't tour period. we own the venues now. TM does." Now U2 did not play Olivia de Havilland and stand up to them, but I'm still divided as to whether this was possible. I still haven't sorted out my feelings on this. I was planning to boycott the tour at one point to protest U2's lack of support for Paul. But the minute I watched U2 performing EBW at the Bambi's my heart was broken, and I caved. It's the damndest thing isn't it??

 

[domo-kun]

Not completely true that the tickets are priced the same way as last tour.
At least not over here in the Netherlands.

2nd ring seats are going for104,- to 180,-
While I paid 86,- euro's for my excellent second ring seats during 360.


1st Rings are going for 180,-
While last tour they where 129,-


Only prices that are even remotely close are the 33,- 's the Red Zone's and the GA's.
And I think an average raise of 40+ euro's per ticket, can't be blamed on inflation.

People who want seats I feel their pain.
People who want GA's not so much to worry I guess.
This, and I'm doing a wild guess here, is all a consequence of them touring small arena's and Livenation being a bitch.

 

[Blue Room]

Just as an example. U2 did 4 shows in Chicago on the first leg of Vertigo. They soldout, but it was really easy to get tickets to those last two shows. There were several empty rows in the rear stage section. Then they came back on the third leg and played two more in Chicago. Again, technical sellouts, but MANY empty rows in the cheap seats.

These will all be technical sellouts. I think U2 may have overpriced some of the tickets a tad and that is part of it. I doubt anymore shows will be added anywhere except Dublin obviously. They will still tour in 2016 and it will be stadiums and it will be in support of a new album. Hopefully the ticket pricing for the stadium tour is more in line with the demand than the arena tour has been. They will still sellout most stadiums "technically". Again, even on 360, there were empty seats in a lot of cities. Just keep it all in perspective. U2 are doing fine.

 

[Galeongirl]

Do you think they planned 24 hr notice of sales?

Yes. They did. 100%.

I still think LN forced U2 to fire Paul last yr--"you either get rid of him and allow us to buy PM, or you can't tour period. we own the venues now. TM does." Now U2 did not play Olivia de Havilland and stand up to them, but I'm still divided as to whether this was possible. I still haven't sorted out my feelings on this. I was planning to boycott the tour at one point to protest U2's lack of support for Paul. But the minute I watched U2 performing EBW at the Bambi's my heart was broken, and I caved. It's the damndest thing isn't it??

Your naivete is hilarious. You really think Livenation decides wheter or not U2 tours? It's the other way around... Livenation can't do shit, if they start putting up demands, U2 finds a different company to work with them.

And to think that Livenation would force U2 to fire their manager... what the heck? That's one of the most ridiculous things I've heard here lately..

 

[beershack]

Livenation can't do shit, if they start putting up demands, U2 finds a different company to work with them.

U2 signed a long term deal with LN, they do have to listen to them on alot of aspects of the tour/pricing

 

[trojanchick99]

No, really. Some things the band can have control over, but I think you're overestimating the amount of control they have had here. I think they ceded more to LN than you think. Things have changed since 2009, my friend. U2 have known what to do in the past...but the rules have changed now. Live nation runs the fan club and U2.com now. Do you *really* think the band wants GA's in resale, ticket restrictions to fan club, or half the bloody arena at $300? Even if they're greedy, they've always treated fans with some decency. Do you think they planned 24 hr notice of sales? Glad to know it wasn't just me that was glad the sales are being stretched out, so we could come up with money at short notice. That must have beenone rare thing the band must wanted and been able to persuade LN to do.

I still think LN forced U2 to fire Paul last yr--"you either get rid of him and allow us to buy PM, or you can't tour period. we own the venues now. TM does." Now U2 did not play Olivia de Havilland and stand up to them, but I'm still divided as to whether this was possible. I still haven't sorted out my feelings on this. I was planning to boycott the tour at one point to protest U2's lack of support for Paul. But the minute I watched U2 performing EBW at the Bambi's my heart was broken, and I caved. It's the damndest thing isn't it??

This tour, at least in most of North America, has the fewest GAs in the resale market. The only NA shows that have tons of GAs in resale market is NYC because the ticker brokers lobbied for a bill to ban cc entry only.

The ticket limits are because there are fewer tickets in the pool due to the much smaller venues. If everyone got 4 Presale tickets it would have been even harder to get tickets in the presales.

In LA and NY at least, Live Nation does NOT own the venues. They own some venues here in LA, but they are small ones. There is no way LN told U2 to fire Paul McGuinness, none.

Where they do have influence is the pricing, though U2 obviously had some say given the pricing of GA.


Sent from my iPad using U2 Interference

 

[domo-kun]

I still think LN forced U2 to fire Paul last yr--"you either get rid of him and allow us to buy PM, or you can't tour period. we own the venues now. TM does."

Of course there is no way in hell that McGuinne$$ just thought: You know what?! I'm gonna enjoy my money from now on.. As he was on a respectable age to enjoy the luxury of doing nothing important for once. Its called retirement.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

This tour, at least in most of North America, has the fewest GAs in the resale market. The only NA shows that have tons of GAs in resale market is NYC because the ticker brokers lobbied for a bill to ban cc entry only.

The ticket limits are because there are fewer tickets in the pool due to the much smaller venues. If everyone got 4 Presale tickets it would have been even harder to get tickets in the presales.

In LA and NY at least, Live Nation does NOT own the venues. They own some venues here in LA, but they are small ones. There is no way LN told U2 to fire Paul McGuinness, none.

Where they do have influence is the pricing, though U2 obviously had some say given the pricing of GA.


Sent from my iPad using U2 Interference

I agree that the idea that Live Nation forced U2 to fire Paul McGuinness,and that the pricing structure is all Live Nation's doing and not the band's is an asinine, ludicrous statement...

I do have to take one issue with something you said though,about the venues in New York and LA.

Madison Square Garden and the LA Forum are both owned by Madison Square Garden, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Cablevision Corp. They aren't owned by Live Nation. Yes. True.

Problem is this... The CEO of MSG Inc is one James "I'm a giant douchebag" Dolan. Dolan served for a long time on the board of directors for? Live Nation.

In 2008 Ticketmaster and Cablevision attempted to purchase AEG Live together. After the deal fell apart, rumors spread that Cablevision would dump Ticketmaster and go with Live Nation as their ticketing provider. Dolan relented, and resigned with Ticketmaster. A few months later Live Nation and Ticketmaster merged, and about a year after that Dolan was named to the board of Live Nation.

They're all in bed with each other. The corruption is ridiculous.

 

[Axver]

I hear it was actually Satan who fired Paul McGuinne$$.

 

[Galeongirl]

Wait what, Livenation actually owns concert venues? I never even heard of that before. That does provide quite some room for corruption yeah, but I still hardly doubt they have any sort of power over U2.

 

[The_acrobat]

Q


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[DeVaul]

Wait what, Livenation actually owns concert venues? I never even heard of that before. That does provide quite some room for corruption yeah, but I still hardly doubt they have any sort of power over U2.

Most of the amphitheatres that the larger tours roll through during summer are, with lovely corporate names for your enjoyment/derision. Jiffy Lube Live, anyone?


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[asr]

I really wish U2 hadn't gone to bed with LN. I wish they shared more of Pearl Jam's attitude towards TM.

 

[asr]

They are for NY MSG for July 22.

I'm willing to buy 2 tickets off your hands for that very show, if your willing to get rid of 2/4 tickets that is. It is depending on what price and section though.

 

[Galeongirl]

Most of the amphitheatres that the larger tours roll through during summer are, with lovely corporate names for your enjoyment/derision. Jiffy Lube Live, anyone?


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

That sounds like a really bad porno.

 

[Teta040]

Let's see how many arena and stadium corporate names we can come up with. Shouldn't be hard to rustle up a few. My own hometown's for example. Completed in the spring of '91--the Knickerbocker Arena. Named for Albany's Dutch heritage, everyone called it "the Knick" which didn't sound bad. Around 2000 it became the Pepsi Arena (I heard there might be a couple of those) , and now it's the Times Union Center (for the local paper.)

 

[Wendyandkevinca]

if i recall correctly, the venues owned by LN are not the huge stadiums. for example house of blues is a subsidiary of LN. they also own some low thousands theatre's.

personally, i don't trust those fucks further than i can spit and that is about 10 or so feet on a good day.

case in point...when all of a sudden TO1 was showing sell out, which in no fucking way it was, the middle sections in the uppers showed perhaps 4 to 5 seats in each section....gradually, they throw more and more of those empty seats back in. they make it SEEM like there are few ticket left so people are manipulated into buying a scare product that is NOT scare at all.

 

[Popmartijn]

--the Knickerbocker Arena. Named for Albany's Dutch heritage

I fail to see the connection between 'knickerbocker' and the Dutch (heritage). What kind of link is there?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I fail to see the connection between 'knickerbocker' and the Dutch (heritage). What kind of link is there?

It's a Washington Irving reference more than a Dutch reference. Irving wrote a book called The History of New York under a pseudonym with the last name Knickerbocker, which was apparently a popular last name at the time amongst Dutch settlers. New York was of course originally a Dutch colony.

The name Knickerbocker stuck as a nickname for New Yorkers, even though nobody really uses it anymore, other than our terrible terrible NBA team, the Knicks.