Hate to gripe, but I am gonna and I can!!!!

Mr. Buffett · Post by **Mr. Buffett** » March 10, 2008 2:53 pm

I for one am thankful for all of those friendly BNer's that provided the presale password on here...I was able to get really good seats and feel like that this was my only chance for a true fan like me to get them!

SoILPrtHed · Post by **SoILPrtHed** » March 10, 2008 2:55 pm

First we can't hardly afford to pay for tickets, then we can't hardly afford to drive or fly to concerts and now we can't hardly get tickets at all- I am almost at whits end. By the way, looks like national average for gas could be around $4.00 this summer- have fun trying to drive and fly anywhere with that staring you in the face!

sunseeker · Post by **sunseeker** » March 10, 2008 2:58 pm

SoILPrtHed wrote:First we can't hardly afford to pay for tickets, then we can't hardly afford to drive or fly to concerts and now we can't hardly get tickets at all- I am almost at whits end. By the way, looks like national average for gas could be around $4.00 this summer- have fun trying to drive and fly anywhere with that staring you in the face!

I actually decided not to purchase tickets to any show this year:

1. Because ticket prices are sooo EXPENSIVE
2. I'll just buy one in the lot of the shows I decide to go to....i have never been to a show that I didn't run into at least one person selling tickets
3. For me...it more about being at the tailgate with my friends...if I get a ticket so be it...if not...I'll listen to the show on RM

ParrotheadPeteNJ · Post by **ParrotheadPeteNJ** » March 10, 2008 3:00 pm

Howard-let's go to the stats

Parrothead Pete-has gone to many a show and knows his way around tickets.

Philly Presale-3 tickets for my friends and I-Field. Declined nice others.
Regular onsale-shut out

I'm not gay but I did go see Cher and the Village people-and if I see Mick the Pirate I'm gonna give him a big hug because thanks to him and the others (though I would have purchased a password if I could not find) I had two great days with Jimmy in Philly and am hopefully gonna have a third.

Howard you are WAY underestimating the resources of ticket sellers who include a good proportion of the general population with the advent of eBay and stubhub.

The Hannah Montana tour (I joined the fan club 3-5 times and even knew fathers who gave up tickets with their kids to sell their tickets) brought about a recognition of some of the real problems with big brokers-it was determined that many were/are using programs to bypass Ticketmaster security words and purchase up to 99 pairs of tickets at a time). Also with Hannah Montana Disney built stage so that it took up 1/3 of the arena (so 12,000 seat arenas became 8,000 tickets max) and Miley Cyrus had to return to the Hannah Montana shows so that there were only a limited number of shows.

This was the first or second site where I remember a presale password even given out, In retrospect I think it was deviously smart.

Also Howard, many tickets are already spoken for by season ticketholders-especially the outdoor venues such as Tweeter in Mansfield, Camden, Bristow, yada. For many artists fan clubs get many of the other top seats-some artists such as Pearl Jam, Tom Petty, and Bon Jovi have box office pickups for their fan clubs. Bruce Springsteen has used box office pickups (and often you must go straight into the venue for Bruce) for his top tickets for years). With many fan clubs such as the Police or U2 (very competitive and it was a mess last tour) strict limited of a few tickets per membership are allowed. Of course brokers join fan clubs.

Another strategy was used today-you place many shows on sale at once
and spread out sales among many. Of course brokers hire people....I landed 8th row Mansfield 5-6 years ago when there were multiple onsales at once.

You can place a geographic restrictions on tickets (many late Hannah Montant shows were sold this way) . However if you are from texas and want to travel to Mansfield or Atlantic City you are gonna be one unhappy Parrothead if you have to purchase tickets on the open market.

You can price tickets so high that only those big fans will attend. One Eric Clapton show that went on sale this weekend has prices that ranged from $199-$500. Bruce Springsteen has a special show this Spring where the whole venue's tickets will be auctioned off and they will go for many hundreds.

Regular Parrotheads have hinted on here about Jimmy tickets. You live and learn-today I learned a bit more about Comcast Tickets than I previously knew. My eyes were on Buffettnews this year for Philly as I obtained the Philly password from the site in 2005.

People are going to resell tickets one way or another-plus Jimmy is possibly the top selling artist who's shows are renowned for partying. Who DOESN'T want to go to a Buffett show?

ParrotheadPeteNJ · Post by **ParrotheadPeteNJ** » March 10, 2008 3:09 pm

Sunseeker (I have Bruce Springsteen tickets for the 3 Florida shows and hope to go with my friends-and get a few rays in myself) reminded me of another strategy for fans. Sometimes tickets are so expensive that it is cheaper to travel to another city and vacation than just the tickets for a high demand show. For Hannah Montana (and the Jonas Brothers last night) tickets sold below face for both Las Vegas and Orlando (both multiple shows and Vegas tends to skew older). For Jimmy the St Louis ticket market and pretty much every non summer show tends to be much easier than the shows between Memorial Day and labor Day. I've been at Madiosn Square garden shows in September where sellers (including many Parrotheads) couldn't give away tickets for free. Don't forget the ticket exchange.

sunseeker · Post by **sunseeker** » March 10, 2008 3:13 pm

ParrotheadPeteNJ wrote:Sunseeker (I have Bruce Springsteen tickets for the 3 Florida shows and hope to go with my friends-and get a few rays in myself) reminded me of another strategy for fans. Sometimes tickets are so expensive that it is cheaper to travel to another city and vacation than just the tickets for a high demand show. For Hannah Montana (and the Jonas Brothers last night) tickets sold below face for both Las Vegas and Orlando (both multiple shows and Vegas tends to skew older). For Jimmy the St Louis ticket market and pretty much every non summer show tends to be much easier than the shows between Memorial Day and labor Day. I've been at Madiosn Square garden shows in September where sellers (including many Parrotheads) couldn't give away tickets for free. Don't forget the ticket exchange.

Thanks Pete! No worries about me...i'll get into the shows that I want....I really just want to see my friends.....

and just for the record...I have been around BN for a long time...and I have seen many acts of generosity by its members including one member GIVING auntie front row seats, members sending buffettbride to the belly up, members flying key lime lee to the show in Tampa....and too many more to name...yes BN is a special place where we all take care of each other...I am proud to be a member here....

Tiki Bar · Post by **Tiki Bar** » March 10, 2008 3:15 pm

ParrotheadPeteNJ wrote:...

Thank you for all of the sensible info, and constructive suggestions! Greatly appreciated!!

ParrotheadPeteNJ · Post by **ParrotheadPeteNJ** » March 10, 2008 3:31 pm

Also fellow Parrothead guru dude worshippers remember it's a LOT easier to find 1-2 tickets to a show (especially Jimmy's) than 3-4. Putting 4+ tickets into a Ticketmaster search engine sans perhaps lawn at 10:00AND ) seconds is just asking for disaster. If you go solo to a show or sit separate from your friends it's MUCH easier to find a ticket on sale in the parking lot, from resellers or the box office. I did an ad-lib trip to SOLD OUT HIGH DEMAND Camden show a while back. Though shady resellers (the Camden cops told me to watch for fake e-tickets) had mediocre back 200 level seats I half desparately walked the front tailgating lots and found a lawn seat at cost from a partying Parrothead who refused to sell a ticket above cost. There are very few shows where if you go solo or split up (and you have to do sometimes for higher demand shows such as Jimmy or Bruce-it's a good way to meet others though) you can't find a seat or seat way below the cost of the ticket-especially those large stadium shows.

Also if you can land really good seats for a multiple night stand for a top artist there's always a good chance you can trade those for nights you do not have. For the Bruce and E Street Band reunion Tour in 1999 I spent 1-2 months upgrading a few mediocre tickets to high demand opening night, closing night and other seats.

karat · Post by **karat** » March 10, 2008 3:34 pm

YOU KNOW... I was at a fundraiser and won (paid via silent auction) 2 Gold Circle Tickets to a show of my choice during the Summer Concert Season at Post-Gazette Pavilion (Pittsburgh)....

I CANNOT USE THEM FOR THE 7/22 SHOW....

Yeah somethings just burnmyass

(side note I was happy to donate to our local museum)

sunseeker · Post by **sunseeker** » March 10, 2008 3:37 pm

parrothead pete...check your private messages...PLEASE!!!!

ParrotheadPeteNJ · Post by **ParrotheadPeteNJ** » March 10, 2008 3:37 pm

Karat- if you don't have to pick up at the box office, how bout finding one of the other tours (e.g. The Police, Jack Johnson, Eric Clapton, yada) ,taking them to a broker, and seeing if you can trade for Jimmy. You may not get equal value but you can probably get something.

karat · Post by **karat** » March 10, 2008 3:39 pm

ParrotheadPeteNJ wrote:Karat- if you don't have to pick up at the box office, how bout finding one of the other tours (e.g. The Police, Jack Johnson, Eric Clapton, yada) ,taking them to a broker, and seeing if you can trade for Jimmy. You may not get equal value but you can probably get something.

Thanks that is an idea, I may wait to see how my run goes for tickets on Monday... then I will decide.

I was also going to look to see who else is playing...

which particular harbor? · March 10, 2008 3:51 pm

Well, I guess another year I won't be going to JB concert b/c of brokers. I love the way I'm sure they greased their local politician's palms to get scalping legalized again here. Yes, I'm p***.
Brokering should be illegal. I REALLY wish no one would by from scalpers...

ParrotheadPeteNJ · Post by **ParrotheadPeteNJ** » March 10, 2008 4:44 pm

Harbor-if you travel to a show yourself or follow any of the advice I have given out there are very few shows you will have trouble getting into. Selling is common now-nowadays even the average joe has no problem selling an extra pair (as a result many big brokers have less power or have been driven out of business over the years). Reselling laws have been lessened overall-in New York where now Governor Spitzer was the toughest SOB attorney General he came out and stated a free market lowers prices-and reverse the laws to an extent.

Read and learn from others. It was being a Bruce Springsteen and Jimmy fan amongst else fan for many years that helped me learn what I know-and even then in many situations such as today I was no better off than many others.

Caribbean Soul · Post by **Caribbean Soul** » March 10, 2008 4:46 pm

ParrotheadPeteNJ wrote:Governor Spitzer was the toughest SOB attorney General he came out and stated a free market lowers prices-and reverse the laws to an extent.

Are you sure he was talking about tickets...

ParrotheadPeteNJ · Post by **ParrotheadPeteNJ** » March 10, 2008 5:10 pm

Soul, YES. I don't remember if laws in NY/NYC and NJ have been eliminated over the past few years but in NYC at least they have been relaxed. Unless there has been a wealth of bad publicity (read that Springsteen shows) rarely has any tickets law been enforced. There are some places such as within 1000 feet or so of say Madison Square Garden where the police will enforce.

Caribbean Soul · Post by **Caribbean Soul** » March 10, 2008 5:27 pm

Just wondering ... considering this..

ParrotheadPeteNJ · Post by **ParrotheadPeteNJ** » March 10, 2008 5:39 pm

Soul-JUST saw after I posted. LOL. Bet you he was outed by someone HE outed. Revenge is a b*tch!

Caribbean Soul · Post by **Caribbean Soul** » March 10, 2008 5:47 pm

That would be my guess too...
All I can say is what an IDIOT...

could he possibly have thought it would remain a secret !

oh wait ... I'm sure thinking was not invloved at all (at least not with his big head)

LIPH · Post by **LIPH** » March 10, 2008 5:50 pm

If he doesn't resign he should be impeached.

BuffettNews.com

Hate to gripe, but I am gonna and I can!!!!

Limiting the Power of Major Brokers

Another Stratgey

Re: Another Stratgey

Re: Another Stratgey

Also

Golden Circle

Re: Golden Circle

Stop Complaining

Re: Stop Complaining

New York

LOL