SCALPERS & BROKERS MUST HATE SPRINGSTEEN
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Tampico
- We are the People our Parents Warned us
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I just read an article on where Bruce Springsteen is going 5 shows in December and tickets will only be sold via telephone orders and there is a 2 ticket limit per call. The kicker is tickets will not be mailed out and only available the day of the show and can only be picked up by the the person whose name was on the credit card. Scalpers would go nuts if Buffett did this.
"What's mine is mine, If it's only one thin dime, My cash has always meant to flow"
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Caribbean Soul
- I Love the Now!
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DebSabriel
- I need two more boat drinks
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I read about this this week in the Philly Inquirer (am home for Turkey Day). Apparently, this is a series of charity gigs, and yes it *is* the entire venue.
The logistics would be a bit tough for JB to duplicate this feat, but by no means impossible. JB needs to get off his tookus and squash the scalpers like the parasitic insects they are.
JMHO...
All the best,
Deb.
The logistics would be a bit tough for JB to duplicate this feat, but by no means impossible. JB needs to get off his tookus and squash the scalpers like the parasitic insects they are.
JMHO...
All the best,
Deb.
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ParrotheadPeteNJ
- Southeast of disorder
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- Joined: November 23, 2001 7:00 pm
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- Location: New Jersey
Hi Parotheads:
I'm an e-Bay broker with a perfect feedback record (who will be looking for full time work with three degrees) who LOVES Bruce Springsteen (#1) and maybe after MSG can say Jimmy's a repaidly rising #2. I am not mad at Bruce at all for this ticket method (I was at one show last year in Asbury with this method and he also used it for two shows to start the tour in '98. It's a great idea. You have to walk right into the show once you get your tix. One problem in Asbury Park Convention Center (2500 seats max), though was that there is standing room only on the floor so people waited from early morning on on the boardwalk entrance. There were a few heated arguments because everyone was trying to get up front (in fact Bruce invited 100 or so early fans in for a special soundcheck with country songs). This year they added a reserved seating at double the prcie ($100). The problem is that Bruce fans write the book on ticket knowledge so these tickets are difficult. What Bruce does
which is real nice is have a "wish" or "drop" line. Bruce always releases tickets on the day or a show. If you are fortunate enough to get on the "wish" line
early (sometimes that is 12 hours or as few as a couple) you can get a ticket on the of the show. Not great in December in NJ but we only had to check in on line every hour and could go indoors for the rest of the hour until the VERY COLD last few dark hours.
A couple of tips for tickets:
1) Almost all artists I saw this year released tickets in the days before/day of the show. There were fornt orchestra seats for the 9/11 MSG show available on ticketmaster on the 10th (they were very expensive, though).
2) At least this year, the sellers market at a given outdoor venue is not good. I got a whole bunch for a "bad" pair for Jimmy's Camden show (the guy offered me). A few days later, I heard there were tons of extra tickets in Camden.
3) Someimes it pays to wait until the end on eBay-especially for a lesser artist. I have Elton John tickets that aren't even selling at half cost right now.
4) Try seeing Jimmy in an "easier" market. For instance, New York is always a tougher ticket than Philadelphia, Albany, Columbus.
5) An eBay seller may be willing to sell his or her tickets for a few bucks less if you cut a deal before the auction ends. The seller saves some money on his or her selling fees. It is technically against eBay rules so the seler may or may not be willing. A good feedback record helps here.
6) Always ask a breakdown in the ticket cost. Most sellers hid the true value of the tickets but are quite willing and want to share. eBay doesn't allow sellers to recapture the $9-$10 per ticket Ticketmaster costs and impose rules which are more stringent than state law (and very stupid). Selling tickets is a business like anything else. Remember to be honest with your sellers (a winning bid IS a contract)and most (look for the feedback record by clicking on he number next to the person's name) really want to please you because hey like what they do and want to be successful.
Parrotheads, hope this helps...
I'm an e-Bay broker with a perfect feedback record (who will be looking for full time work with three degrees) who LOVES Bruce Springsteen (#1) and maybe after MSG can say Jimmy's a repaidly rising #2. I am not mad at Bruce at all for this ticket method (I was at one show last year in Asbury with this method and he also used it for two shows to start the tour in '98. It's a great idea. You have to walk right into the show once you get your tix. One problem in Asbury Park Convention Center (2500 seats max), though was that there is standing room only on the floor so people waited from early morning on on the boardwalk entrance. There were a few heated arguments because everyone was trying to get up front (in fact Bruce invited 100 or so early fans in for a special soundcheck with country songs). This year they added a reserved seating at double the prcie ($100). The problem is that Bruce fans write the book on ticket knowledge so these tickets are difficult. What Bruce does
which is real nice is have a "wish" or "drop" line. Bruce always releases tickets on the day or a show. If you are fortunate enough to get on the "wish" line
early (sometimes that is 12 hours or as few as a couple) you can get a ticket on the of the show. Not great in December in NJ but we only had to check in on line every hour and could go indoors for the rest of the hour until the VERY COLD last few dark hours.
A couple of tips for tickets:
1) Almost all artists I saw this year released tickets in the days before/day of the show. There were fornt orchestra seats for the 9/11 MSG show available on ticketmaster on the 10th (they were very expensive, though).
2) At least this year, the sellers market at a given outdoor venue is not good. I got a whole bunch for a "bad" pair for Jimmy's Camden show (the guy offered me). A few days later, I heard there were tons of extra tickets in Camden.
3) Someimes it pays to wait until the end on eBay-especially for a lesser artist. I have Elton John tickets that aren't even selling at half cost right now.
4) Try seeing Jimmy in an "easier" market. For instance, New York is always a tougher ticket than Philadelphia, Albany, Columbus.
5) An eBay seller may be willing to sell his or her tickets for a few bucks less if you cut a deal before the auction ends. The seller saves some money on his or her selling fees. It is technically against eBay rules so the seler may or may not be willing. A good feedback record helps here.
6) Always ask a breakdown in the ticket cost. Most sellers hid the true value of the tickets but are quite willing and want to share. eBay doesn't allow sellers to recapture the $9-$10 per ticket Ticketmaster costs and impose rules which are more stringent than state law (and very stupid). Selling tickets is a business like anything else. Remember to be honest with your sellers (a winning bid IS a contract)and most (look for the feedback record by clicking on he number next to the person's name) really want to please you because hey like what they do and want to be successful.
Parrotheads, hope this helps...
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ParrotheadPeteNJ
- Southeast of disorder
- Posts: 83
- Joined: November 23, 2001 7:00 pm
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- Location: New Jersey
I just want to add an addendum here. A great idea here would be to create a Parrothead website for buying (technically no markup here though people make offers) selling and trading when a tour rolls around. A Springsteen fan did this in 1999 and it was FANTASTIC. I spent the whole month of July 1999 tour trading online/posting messages. A benefit is that you meet others from all over (Springsteen's fan base it literally the whole planet) and you can meet up with those people later on at the shows. The Springsteen trading forum had icons for 1) Have an extra; 2) need an extra and 3) trades only. It worked wonderfully! I know this could easily be pulled off because the Springsteen and Parrothead fans bases are the best two fan bases in the world. Also note that the Springsteen fanmag site Backstreets.com has a trading post on its pages.
As for the comments on brokers, I used to believe the same thing. However, in a desparate need for funds (avoid bankrupcy), I started to sell on eBay. There is a GREAT need for my ticket obtaining skills from people who work all day and can't get tickets, forget about a show or don't know a tour has been announced. I offer superior customers service to major brokers and scalers at shows (I will only sell at a show if I am stuck with tickets). I also believe eBayers (who sell at a 10-60% discount over major brokers) lower the prices in the overall market and are a primary reason why there have been so many extras (from major brokers who were asking too much) at shows this past year. If you don't like it "Just say NO". Jimmy himself can raise his top ticket prices (Billy Joel and Elton John are charging $175 face for all of their top seats)if he desires. I myself though have a 100% satisfaction rate among my 100 or so clients and I've been told many a time that they would have not seen a given show if not for me.
As for the comments on brokers, I used to believe the same thing. However, in a desparate need for funds (avoid bankrupcy), I started to sell on eBay. There is a GREAT need for my ticket obtaining skills from people who work all day and can't get tickets, forget about a show or don't know a tour has been announced. I offer superior customers service to major brokers and scalers at shows (I will only sell at a show if I am stuck with tickets). I also believe eBayers (who sell at a 10-60% discount over major brokers) lower the prices in the overall market and are a primary reason why there have been so many extras (from major brokers who were asking too much) at shows this past year. If you don't like it "Just say NO". Jimmy himself can raise his top ticket prices (Billy Joel and Elton John are charging $175 face for all of their top seats)if he desires. I myself though have a 100% satisfaction rate among my 100 or so clients and I've been told many a time that they would have not seen a given show if not for me.
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ParrotheadPeteNJ
- Southeast of disorder
- Posts: 83
- Joined: November 23, 2001 7:00 pm
- Number of Concerts: 0
- Location: New Jersey
Another solution which other artists use is fan clubs or benefit clubs. However, this is is unworkable for such popular artists as Jimmy as there are simply too mnay fans. Some artists have a separate tickets sale for their fan club only. Others such as Elton John, have a benefits club in which you pay about $36 per year for 1) A crack at the best seats though seats are limited; 2) Ditto backstage passes; 3) downloads, 4) updated tour news 5) special albums , yada.
***By the way it is posible to beat the Sprignsteen method. A seller can be a fan himself and meet up with the buyer at the venue. The seller has to go in, though. Some buyers without tickets in Asbury Park offered to buy the seller's ticket which I feel is a fair offer
***By the way it is posible to beat the Sprignsteen method. A seller can be a fan himself and meet up with the buyer at the venue. The seller has to go in, though. Some buyers without tickets in Asbury Park offered to buy the seller's ticket which I feel is a fair offer