Open Letter to Autograph Hunters

[JCOSTER]

While scouring through ebay, I noticed that U2 by U2 books from London and Dublin are going for sale already for quite a bit of money. I suppose a loyal fan. No, A money hungry rat, I would say.

There are loyal fans who would love to have the opportunity to meet the band for a mere 60 seconds and have them sign the book which they will keep and cherish for the rest of there lives.

I find it amazing what people will do to make money. I know quite a few people from here who would have loved to see the band and get autographed. So I hope you autograph rats are happy that you stole a golden moment out from under someone just to make some money.

Its no wonder Larry is hesitant to sign anything and he picks and chooses what he will sign. I guess thats why they call him the head of security.

I hope in the future, you hawkers will keep it mind that there are others who might have had their only chance to meet up with the band and lost it because you took their spot or won the chance when that was your goal all along.

Its a horrible thing you do, taking advantage of a situation from a band that tells you publically, We don't mind if you tape our shows, just don't sell them. What other band, will state something like that and what other band will stop for fans as much as they do?

Hopefully, the band will start to recognize the hawkers and you will walk away with nothing to sell.

 

[RedRocksU2]

 

[waynetravis]

we had this outside of Abbey Road.
there was a group of them pushing fans out of the way

 

[JCOSTER]

we had this outside of Abbey Road.
there was a group of them pushing fans out of the way

Ya know what this New Yorker would have done?

 

[ponkine]

Such a lack of respect to loyal fans like all of us who really like to meet the band and have autographs from them

I really hope the band will catch them

 

[BAW]

Yeah, it's bad to push a loyal fan out of the way to get an autographed item with the sole intention to sell it, but who is buying the stuff? If there wasn't a market for it, they wouldn't be doing it

 

[JCOSTER]

Yeah, it's bad to push a loyal fan out of the way to get an autographed item with the sole intention to sell it, but who is buying the stuff? If there wasn't a market for it, they wouldn't be doing it

That is true. And I understand where your coming from.
But it irks me that maybe someone missed out and that may even be me come Monday for someone to make a grand out of a hawker taking their or my spot away for money making purposes.

 

[BAW]

That is true. And I understand where your coming from.
But it irks me that maybe someone missed out and that may even be me come Monday for someone to make a grand out of a hawker taking their or my spot away for money making purposes.

I totally agree with your original post..I'm just saying that they aren't the only guilty parties in this.

I've been shoved out of the way several times by what I assume were autograph sellers and it sucks. I just wish people would stop buying the stuff and put them out of business.

 

[JCOSTER]

I totally agree with your original post..I'm just saying that they aren't the only guilty parties in this.

I've been shoved out of the way several times by what I assume were autograph sellers and it sucks. I just wish people would stop buying the stuff and put them out of business.

totally agreed

 

[tuwie]

amen jcoster, amen.
:nods:

 

[vaz02]

As annoying as it is the only way to stop people doing this is to stop creating a market for it.

Dont buy em. Same goes for tickets.

 

[JCOSTER]

As annoying as it is the only way to stop people doing this is to stop creating a market for it.

Dont buy em. Same goes for tickets.

you are right to Vaz, as for tickets, loyal fans like myself would never have seen them as many times as I did.

(I hate to admit it, but its true.

 

[vaz02]

you are right to Vaz, as for tickets, loyal fans like myself would never have seen them as many times as I did.

(I hate to admit it, but its true.

Yeah when i ddint get my tickets i went to ebay but decided to pull out and wait and hope for a 2nd show to be penciled in. Which it did.

Hopefully ebay would make it illegal to sell tickets.

p.s us loyal fans would get our tickets if these people didnt rob them of us.

 

[JCOSTER]

Yeah when i ddint get my tickets i went to ebay but decided to pull out and wait and hope for a 2nd show to be penciled in. Which it did.

Hopefully ebay would make it illegal to sell tickets.

p.s us loyal fans would get our tickets if these people didnt rob them of us.

You are soooo right!

 

[phillyfan26]

Tickets are sold out so quickly, I haven't seen U2. I know a guy who always comes up with them from TicketMaster, so I'm waiting on the next tour (I can't, for I have no credit card).

 

[Lila64]

I agree with your original post JC

 

[U2FanPeter]

Autographed books are a market beyond the usual U2 fan circles. All 4 autos on 1 item like a large harcover book won't be easy as a ticket stub.

My solution?

Put up 50 auto'd books for the Music cares official ebay auction. That will buy 100 musical instruments for New Orleans without breaking a sweat.

Everybody wins.

u2fp

 

[Sevikins]

I don't want to come out as defending autograph hounds, but could there be a chance that someone who couldn't attend an event or even get an autograph for themselves would be those who buy these items? It is a bit weird though, to purchase an item that someone obtained. It's like... getting the ticket stub for a ballgame that you didn't attend. Sure you have the proof of going to it, but you in actuality didn't feel the crowd's roar, seeing the guy hit the homer... something like that.

It does stink that in regards to money, they'd rob someone from a special moment. Sucks... but they exist in our world unfortunately and some are desperate/in need of it enough to shell out the dough for it.

 

[Lancemc]

I agree with a lot of stuff that's been said here.

And I know the ticket issue is really VERY dicey when it comes to ebay and stuff, and if we stopped buying tickets on ebay, then the scalpers wouldn't steal all the tickets to sell, and there'd be more tickets for everyone, so people would never HAVE to buy off ebay in the first place. It's a vicious cycle, yet it's not so simple to solve.

The best show I've ever seen was October 17 2005 in the Wachovia Center, and it was probably the best night of my life. And I never would have experienced it had it not been for an ebay auction. So, it's truely a double-edged sword, and I have absolutely no idea how to fix it.

But yeah, seriously, the book thing is rediculous.

 

[Canadiens1131]

While scouring through ebay, I noticed that U2 by U2 books from London and Dublin are going for sale already for quite a bit of money. I suppose a loyal fan. No, A money hungry rat, I would say.

There are loyal fans who would love to have the opportunity to meet the band for a mere 60 seconds and have them sign the book which they will keep and cherish for the rest of there lives.

I find it amazing what people will do to make money. I know quite a few people from here who would have loved to see the band and get autographed. So I hope you autograph rats are happy that you stole a golden moment out from under someone just to make some money.

Its no wonder Larry is hesitant to sign anything and he picks and chooses what he will sign. I guess thats why they call him the head of security.

I hope in the future, you hawkers will keep it mind that there are others who might have had their only chance to meet up with the band and lost it because you took their spot or won the chance when that was your goal all along.

Its a horrible thing you do, taking advantage of a situation from a band that tells you publically, We don't mind if you tape our shows, just don't sell them. What other band, will state something like that and what other band will stop for fans as much as they do?

Hopefully, the band will start to recognize the hawkers and you will walk away with nothing to sell.

It's a free market economy.
Get over it.

 

[JCOSTER]

Re: Re: Open Letter to Autograph Hunters

It's a free market economy.
Get over it.

why so nasty?

 

[Canadiens1131]

If autograph hunters put in the work to get (or maybe not if it's random) a ticket, wait in line forever - they're entitled to do whatever the hell they want with their autograph.

 

[U2FanPeter]

Why can't U2.com just number the books and keep a list of the lineup?

The Tom Petty and Streisand fanclubs did this and revoked their tickets if they turned up on auction sites.

u2fp

 

[JCOSTER]

If autograph hunters put in the work to get (or maybe not if it's random) a ticket, wait in line forever - they're entitled to do whatever the hell they want with their autograph.

Whatever

 

[Lila64]

Autographed books are a market beyond the usual U2 fan circles. All 4 autos on 1 item like a large harcover book won't be easy as a ticket stub.

My solution?

Put up 50 auto'd books for the Music cares official ebay auction. That will buy 100 musical instruments for New Orleans without breaking a sweat.

Everybody wins.

u2fp

I like your idea - especially knowing that the money is going to a worthy cause