I don't quite understand why this presale process was so difficult. I've taken part in MANY presales from various bands and I have NEVER had such an experience before. The point of fan club presales is to give your FANS, the one who are always there and have supported you for years, the chance to get GOOD seats (or seats at all in some cases).
I didn't complain about paying 40$ to join u2.com. Alot of bands do that sort of thing now. I paid 70$ to join davidbowie.com, but he has been able to follow through with the promises that are made. He has an incredible site full of loads of multimedia, tons of community building offerings (forum, blogs, art gallery for people to display their own work, etc), and of course, ticket presales. I bought presale tickets for 2 Bowie shows last year and it couldn't have gone any smoother.
I don't understand why there were so many problems associated with today's presale. I don't understand why so few tickets were available for FANS. Even if every single ticket in an arena, some 35000 tickets were available and purchased by FANS during a presale, I can't understand how anyone would think that was a bad thing. What was the point in offering so few tickets for sale to fans? The band should be happy that they have so many fans still, who support the band unconditionally, who want to see them whether they liked the new album or hated it, and there is no reason so few tickets being sold this way.
Nine Inch Nails offered a ticket presale for their 2 London club gigs in march. EVERY SINGLE TICKET was offered to fans for the presale. And every ticket sold, leaving none for the public sale, but who cares?! NIN knows that the show will be completely filled with FANS - the most important part of a band.
We deserve far better for this, and not just because of the cash we've shelled out for subscription to u2.com. Because we're the ones who always keep them afloat. We buy the albums, we support the music, we are the reason they are who and where they are. We deserve more. Instead I spend a half hour to get errors, to have the password box not even load, for tickets not to be found, and to end up getting zero tickets. Thanks, I see the money spent was well worth it. Thanks for the many services you offer through u2.com subscription. I'll be sure not to renew next time around.