yeah. I'm generally a free market, supply and demand kind of guy, but the pricing of the tickets on this tour is really disappointed me. This is especially true after having seen how great the concerts can be in Europe. In Europe, even the area in the front of the stage, is generally filled with stonesfans. Even if you pay a little bit of extra cash, and by early entry tickets, you still have to stand in front of the stage in the hot sun for two or three hours before the show starts. This discourages the casual fans, the wannabes, the trendIra, etc.and except for a few select locations on the sides of the stage, most of the stadiums were relatively reasonably priced. As a result, you had hard-core fans upfront, and the rest of the stadium, you had younger crowds more enthusiastic crowds, many families, and even young couples and groups of young fans. Instead in the US, what we have is $1800 seats in the front row, and $400 seats stretching back halfway across the field. Very disappointing.

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BluzDude
I wonder what percentage of the audience at any of the upcoming shows will be traveling more than 100 miles.

I bet it's quite large. I have quite a few friends who will be traveling to the San Diego show who I would call moderate fans, and the Stones have lots of those.

I will be travelling over 100 miles to 4 of the 5 shows that I am attending this summer.

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Kurt
I will personally add this...
Columbus.

I called Ticketmaster Monday evening and got a VERY nice customer service rep on the line. Looking for an exchange in my seats, same section and same price, from further back up to the front row of the section.

Initially, I was told the rules said NO. I was VERY nice.

She filled out a report that needed to be sent to "the promoter" for approval.

48 hours later...Call back.
BAM. DONE. HELL TO THE YEAH!

Good Luck to ALL.
The Rolling Stones RULE!

Thanks for the tip. I was able to do this for orlando after getting the same sorry we can't do this song and dance. I told them look, i've bought tickets for 5 shows, upgraded for columbus because it was such a difference and had to buy two sets of tickets (I was able to sell the orginal thank goodness) and I've heard from several sources that you can ask the Promoter to waive the policy...after holding for about 30 minutes..."Ok Sir, we will waive the rule this time, where would you like to sit" Upgraded to the first row of the $170 tickets on the floor

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6s7s9s

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BluzDude
I wonder what percentage of the audience at any of the upcoming shows will be traveling more than 100 miles.

I bet it's quite large. I have quite a few friends who will be traveling to the San Diego show who I would call moderate fans, and the Stones have lots of those.

I will be travelling over 100 miles to 4 of the 5 shows that I am attending this summer.

I would say that for those of us who contribute to sites like this, it would be common. But if each of us asked at least 10 people sitting near us at each gig we attended where they were from, I would guess a large % would be from out of the area as well.

Um...free markets have nothing to do with supply & demand.

Also, nobody believes in free markets, they only think they do. Free markets means free of regulation (aka law). So a "free market" person thinks murder should be legal when done by a hit man. To make it illegal would be to infringe on the market for hit men.

I won't turn this thread into something it is not...but comments like "I'm...a free market...kind of guy" should not have anything to do with the Rolling Stones, tours nor tickets. If you want to talk about fantasy concepts that destroy human beings, go to fascist.com or aynrand.com (who ended up on the dole).

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sdstonesguy
Um...free markets have nothing to do with supply & demand.

Also, nobody believes in free markets, they only think they do. Free markets means free of regulation (aka law). So a "free market" person thinks murder should be legal when done by a hit man. To make it illegal would be to infringe on the market for hit men.

I won't turn this thread into something it is not...but comments like "I'm...a free market...kind of guy" should not have anything to do with the Rolling Stones, tours nor tickets. If you want to talk about fantasy concepts that destroy human beings, go to fascist.com or aynrand.com (who ended up on the dole).

Completely nonsensical post...

Besides The Who, Now Aerosmith's tour is in meltdown...

We may finally be at the end.....

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DREAMTIME
Besides The Who, Now Aerosmith's tour is in meltdown...

We may finally be at the end.....

I cannot believe how many U2 tickets are still available thru Ticketmaster for the NYC & LA shows. Those dates would have sold in hours just a few years ago.

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GS1978

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DREAMTIME
Besides The Who, Now Aerosmith's tour is in meltdown...

We may finally be at the end.....

I cannot believe how many U2 tickets are still available thru Ticketmaster for the NYC & LA shows. Those dates would have sold in hours just a few years ago.

I know, and they keep adding shows. I know for the 5 shows in LA there are plenty seats left. I am going to 2 of the shows and I'll see just how full the place is.

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BluzDude

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GS1978

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DREAMTIME
Besides The Who, Now Aerosmith's tour is in meltdown...

We may finally be at the end.....

I cannot believe how many U2 tickets are still available thru Ticketmaster for the NYC & LA shows. Those dates would have sold in hours just a few years ago.

I know, and they keep adding shows. I know for the 5 shows in LA there are plenty seats left. I am going to 2 of the shows and I'll see just how full the place is.

check out Chicago 7/2 U2, wide open...
[www.ticketmaster.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-04-24 23:07 by mnewman505.

Let's not forget that they still make profit at 80% capacity. The real question they have to ask is 1. Is this the total amount of current concert going fans or 2. Did we shut out our blue collar fans because we charged too much?

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sdstonesguy
Um...free markets have nothing to do with supply & demand.

Also, nobody believes in free markets, they only think they do. Free markets means free of regulation (aka law). So a "free market" person thinks murder should be legal when done by a hit man. To make it illegal would be to infringe on the market for hit men.

I won't turn this thread into something it is not...but comments like "I'm...a free market...kind of guy" should not have anything to do with the Rolling Stones, tours nor tickets. If you want to talk about fantasy concepts that destroy human beings, go to fascist.com or aynrand.com (who ended up on the dole).

I'm not particularly well-versed in economics (although my undergraduate degree was in economics, I pursued an entirely different course of study in graduate school), and I was referring simply to the general concept of allowing market forces to determine prices without governmental intervention. The reason it popped into my mind was an earlier post (which I should have quoted so that there was no misunderstanding) talking about the official "Platinum" tickets being sold for "market prices" based on supply and demand, and those tickets being $3000 or $4000 for San Diego. I am pretty disappointed that they are pricing tickets in this manner. No broader definition of "free markets" was even contemplated, and I apologize for upsetting you or any other members of the Forum.

It's not you really, I just hate that term. I suppose if we aren't allowed to debate politics here, I just got edgy at dropping political euphemisms.

I totally agree with you the preferred prices are unsettling...and I don't think the gov't needs to set Stones prices. I keep hoping official prices will drop, and if not, that I can scoop up a good floor seat the day before the gig for near face value. Hope, hope & hope. Gone are the days I could score a front few rows seat for under $150...

I just hope everyone who uses the term "free market" keeps in mind what that term actually means. Free of law/regulation. It is a term that really means pro slavery, pro stealing, pro hurting others for profit. Alan Greenspan once commented that he was so "free market" that he did/does not believe fraud should be illegal, as the market will correct (no comment regarding the people said fraud would have hurt). Of course, since even fraud is hidden from view, who would even know fraud was going on for the market to correct itself. After all, mandated transparency would not be a "free market" concept.

Lastly, it is funny this term even exists. Historically, one side has generally believed that government can do some things better than industry, and cheaper too (healthcare of example...or ensuring clean air) while the other side believed a well regulated market could best accomplish these things. The side that supported a well regulated market now believes in "free markets"...so we no longer have a side believing that a well regulated industry will provide better than government. Instead, they believe industry with literally ZERO rules will provide better. Nothing will shake this belief either...oil spills, bank fraud, nothing. Somehow, a fiction writer who hated humans has become God for so many...and they seem not to know that Ms. Rand ended up using Medicare for her lung cancer. The U.S. literally has people in office who quote fictional characters from her book as economic evidence.

Remember, "free market" means someone can rob you at gunpoint and it would perfectly legal. Or, a business can just steal your pension, or not pay you at all, or threaten to kill your family if you don't work for free. Naturally, nobody who says "free market" thinks they mean these things...it's just a catch phrase that really means they worship Ayn Rand (whether they know it or not).

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drbryant

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sdstonesguy
Um...free markets have nothing to do with supply & demand.

Also, nobody believes in free markets, they only think they do. Free markets means free of regulation (aka law). So a "free market" person thinks murder should be legal when done by a hit man. To make it illegal would be to infringe on the market for hit men.

I won't turn this thread into something it is not...but comments like "I'm...a free market...kind of guy" should not have anything to do with the Rolling Stones, tours nor tickets. If you want to talk about fantasy concepts that destroy human beings, go to fascist.com or aynrand.com (who ended up on the dole).

I'm not particularly well-versed in economics (although my undergraduate degree was in economics, I pursued an entirely different course of study in graduate school), and I was referring simply to the general concept of allowing market forces to determine prices without governmental intervention. The reason it popped into my mind was an earlier post (which I should have quoted so that there was no misunderstanding) talking about the official "Platinum" tickets being sold for "market prices" based on supply and demand, and those tickets being $3000 or $4000 for San Diego. I am pretty disappointed that they are pricing tickets in this manner. No broader definition of "free markets" was even contemplated, and I apologize for upsetting you or any other members of the Forum.

Actually over $3000 and $4000. The thing that gets me is that there are so many different packages and levels of ticket buying from the primary seller. Add the secondary sellers and it's one big complicated mind @#$%&. I miss the days when there just a couple different priced tickets and the secondary market was guys in the parking lot scalping tickets, maybe a few adds in the classified section of the paper.

If they are going to advertise the price breakdowns for the tickets they should at least be truthful. It's not $375, $175, $95 and $29.95 plus fees....It's more like $4777, $4534, $4321, $3654, $3211,ect. ect. ....et al. Where do they come up with all these differences for the best seats, just bizzare to me. Sure some people can afford the high priced stuff but I still think there are just a lot of people being taken advantage of because they can. It's like they are keen on finding the maximum price every individual is willing to pay and exploiting it. It's a shame rock concerts have come to this.

A part of me is hoping they end up having to give a bunch of those expensive seats to Lucky Dip ticket holders.

peace

At this point, only 95 seats have been sold on ebay for the whole tour!

Laughing my ass off at the never ending squawking

All of me is hoping they end up giving a bunch of those expensive seats to Lucky Dip ticket holders.

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Stones726

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sdstonesguy
Um...free markets have nothing to do with supply & demand.

Also, nobody believes in free markets, they only think they do. Free markets means free of regulation (aka law). So a "free market" person thinks murder should be legal when done by a hit man. To make it illegal would be to infringe on the market for hit men.

I won't turn this thread into something it is not...but comments like "I'm...a free market...kind of guy" should not have anything to do with the Rolling Stones, tours nor tickets. If you want to talk about fantasy concepts that destroy human beings, go to fascist.com or aynrand.com (who ended up on the dole).

Completely nonsensical post...

Indeed. The free market concept has everything to do with supply and demand.

When someone suggests "just let supply and demand determine the price of Stones tickets", they are espousing free market concepts. Of course a true free market is an idealogical concept but most people don't take "free market" to mean more than minimal gov't interference to allow competition to set the price through supply and demand.

It would truly be an interesting economics study to look at modern concerts..with the primary sellers in bed with the secondary sellers..are they in competition with them? Is the only true competition others concerts? Do the promoters start with a monopoly because they have all the tickets? It's beyond my expertise but pretty intriguing stuff.

peace

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DREAMTIME
At this point, only 95 seats have been sold on ebay for the whole tour!

Interesting Dreamtime. How do you find the sold history on Ebay?I don't
doubt you. I just have no clue how to find.

In all fairness to the Stones, they don't dictate ticket prices. I have worked on a few tour contracts, and the performer is just paid to perform. Filling the venue and making a profit are the promoter's problems. I have seen contracts that require a percentage of the seats to be "under $xx", but that's about it. The Stones contract could be different, but I don't think they are responsible for the market-based "platinum" pricing.

deleted per request



Edited 7 time(s). Last edit at 2015-04-25 12:27 by Leonioid.

They are all the same corporation.

Ebay prices are lower and give you the opportunity to speak with the seller and ask questions. Such as seat numbers which many stubhub listings leave out. It's important when there are 30 seats across. You can also find out if they are the original purchaser with receipt. And you do have paypal.

Even with a guarantee from stubhub, you still don't know where the ticket is coming from and you don't need problems far from home.

And Mick will ALWAYS be hands on everything. He is aware!

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drbryant
In all fairness to the Stones, they don't dictate ticket prices. I have worked on a few tour contracts, and the performer is just paid to perform. Filling the venue and making a profit are the promoter's problems. I have seen contracts that require a percentage of the seats to be "under $xx", but that's about it. The Stones contract could be different, but I don't think they are responsible for the market-based "platinum" pricing.

The Stones set their price. Thats the starting point for the deal. Then, you are correct, the promoter sets the ticket prices, does the marketing, etc. So, one step away, the Stones in fact do dictate the ticket prices, because after their fee is set, the rest is all accounting. The promoters'costs determine their required income.' Without the platinum pricing and the pseudo-secondary market, the promoter could not make a profit and there would be no deal.

That is true. Yet, I guess that The Stones get paid pretty much the same as the last year and the tickets in Europe however expensive, were still way more affordable than this time in the US.

Generally the ticket policy in Europe was way more fan friendly. I had a 200 E ticket for Berlin and 90 E ticket for Vienna and I ended up right in front of the stage in both cases. This is no way possible this time in the US. I bought them just when the sales started. No need to wait and speculate whether the prices will drop or whether I will be able to get something before the show. As a fan I want to have a good ticket at home, not to wait whether or not there will be possibility to get something later or before the show. As a fan I don't want any LD ticket with which I have no idea where I will end up after I have travelled hundreds or even thousands of miles, paied for a hotel...however the ticket itself might be cheap. Who wants to travel that far and stay in a hotel to watch the big screens?

In Europe the last year, there were VIP tickets and packages, but I don't recall such mess with diamond, sphire and I don't know which ridiculously overpriced tickets. Yet on The Stones' part I guess the rules are the same as the last year. So are the US promoters more greedy? Is that it? And I wonder what influence on this the band can really have. I think there is some. I am currently reading the Rupert Loewensten's book and he describes there how he himself was negotiating with the promoters in the seventies to reduce the scalping back then!

On the other hand, when the band itself demands such hi prices for themselfs, then there is probably not much space to force the promoter to keep the prices reasonable. The fact that The Stones get what they demand probably gives the promoters free hand with seting up the ticket policy. But I have no idea really.

Maybe those high ticket prices, that eventually drop, are part of the promotor's tactic from the beginning? Drop ticket prices from 700$ to 350$ to make it look like a bargain?

Please do NOT use this thread for TICKET PRICE DISCUSSIONS. There is a separate thread for these discussions, all those comments are still valid, so this is one of the few threads where it is ok to post on an old thread...

If you don't know where the Ticket Prices thread is, then go to the first page of this thread, then there is a link as follows.

The ticket prices and other complaints thread : [www.iorr.org]

Bjornulf

The sales, though, are troubling. LOTS of empty seats

I'm actually going to be seeing U2 in Chicago on 7/2. It's their 5th Chicago show, and it was so easy to get GA floor seats. I just got on TM, clicked 4 floor seats, and bought them. No presales, no paying 10x face value from brokers. It should be noted that in Chicago their first 3 shows are sold out, the 4th show is 90% full, just some nosebleeds. The 5th show on July 2nd, though... it's gonna have a lot of empty seas. A few things have happened with U2;

1. The free album /Apple scandal really hurt their public image
2. Their prices are very high compared to previous tours.
3. The 360 tour in 2009-2011 was so highly attended that a lot of casual fans probably came, saw, and crossed U2 off their concert bucket list.
4. They are an "aging band" who are not going to have hit singles anymore. Their last true hit was "Vertigo" in 2005. It happens. I happen to like Songs of Innocence, but I think it'd be weird to have a band in their mid 50s competing in the charts with Taylor Swift and Katy Perry.