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Ticket Scalpers, artists, and the Bruno Mars Act

backseatLover12backseatLover12 Posts: 2,312
edited March 2014 in A Moving Train
A friend of mine mentioned that she tried to get tickets to Queen with Adam Lambert this morning and mentioned how they were sold out 2 minutes after they were to publicly go on sale. She didn't know about the scalpers buying most of them up, so I was researching credible articles to check out when I found 2 interesting ones. First, how artists like Neil Diamond are actually participating in the scalping process, and how Bruno Mars is attempting to help the fans out by limiting scalpers by getting an act passed against them.


Concert Tickets Get Set Aside, Marked Up by Artists, Managers

Less than a minute after tickets for last August's Neil Diamond concerts at New York's Madison Square Garden went on sale, more than 100 seats were available for hundreds of dollars more than their normal face value on premium-ticket site TicketExchange.com. The seller? Neil Diamond.

Ticket reselling -- also known as scalping -- is an estimated $3 billion-a-year business in which professional brokers buy seats with the hope of flipping them to the public at a hefty markup.

In the case of the Neil Diamond concerts, however, the source of the higher-priced tickets was the singer, working with Ticketmaster Entertainment Inc., which owns TicketExchange, and concert promoter AEG Live. Ticketmaster's former and current chief executives, one of whom is Mr. Diamond's personal manager, have acknowledged the arrangement, as has a person familiar with AEG Live, which is owned by Denver-based Anschutz Corp.

Read more at http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB123672740386088613

‘Bruno Mars Act’ Proposed As A Resolution For Ticket Scalping

Bruno Mars has been a big topic of discussion lately, given the recent ticket scalping debacle that evolved in Hawaii. The Unorthodox Jukebox singer may actually be a pillar for a new anti-scalping resolution.

The awkward situation began when Mars’ scheduled concerts in Honolulu, HI sold out in less than three hours. While most would consider this a laudable feat, it was actually quite problematic where Mars is concerned.

According to KHON2, only an estimated six percent of the tickets sold were actually purchased by individual fans. The vast majority of the tickets ended up being nabbed by opportunistic, online ticket brokers and scalpers to be sold at inflated rates.

More at http://www.webpronews.com/bruno-mars-act-proposed-as-a-resolution-for-ticket-scalping-2014-02
Post edited by backseatLover12 on
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Comments

  • lukin2006lukin2006 Posts: 9,087
    I'm sure it's more widespread than the industry wants to admit. It's just the way it is anymore. When I am looking for tickets for a concert I have set limit and won't go over it, if I don't get tickets "oh well" is my attitude. I've only bought tickets once off stub hub and that was for an nfl game and the price was face value. I guess I've just accepted that it's the way it is ... More money in my pocket.
    I have certain rules I live by ... My First Rule ... I don't believe anything the government tells me ... George Carlin

    "Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
  • backseatLover12backseatLover12 Posts: 2,312
    You gotta admit though, that the Bruno Mars Act is a step in the right direction.
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 41,984
    Maybe time to start supporting local acts more frequently and limiting our support of mega-stars- get the money to the bands that could use a lift and stop paying so much into these big act extravaganzas.

    Now wait! I'm not saying don't go see Pearl Jam or Wilco or NIN or whatever but maybe just make big money groups a smaller percentage of our live band attendance and help out the many, many great smaller acts out there. Scalping is rarely a problem with lesser known acts. Some of my favorite live music experiences have been seeing bands where there was no problem getting in and getting close.
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
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  • chadwickchadwick Posts: 21,157
    wasn't it hilarious when will ferrell on SNL was neil diamond? great stuff

    that's all i got
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  • BentleyspopBentleyspop Posts: 10,751
    Bands and artists selling their best seats on the black market has been going on for years and decades.
    They too want a piece of what the market can bear.
  • foodboyfoodboy Posts: 988
    the biggest problem is that ticket buying has no bounds. meaning professionals from around the world can buy tickets to your favorite acts. they do so with something called a spinner which is a computer program that can decifer the codes on the screen and log in for tickets in a blink of a eye. to help stop some of the problem there should be a rule that if you don't live in the state or province you can only purchase seats 1 hour after the on sale. at least it gives the locals some chance. and i emphasize some. the other part of the problem are the vip experience seats which a majority of performers are selling. basically scalping premium seats to their fans at scalper prices. it has all become very difficult to obtain a good seat to most top acts these days. the old days were much better when artists could sell records that couldn't be downloaded for free . where they actually made good money and touring wasn't their prime money making vehicle as it is today.
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 41,984
    Hey, whatever happened to just showing up at the box office or front door before the show and purchasing a ticket? Oops, sorry, wrong century. image
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 15,930
    I don't mind if Neil Diamond is making a buck off of his own tickets. The other brokers and scalpers I have a problem with.
  • backseatLover12backseatLover12 Posts: 2,312
    Did anyone even read the second article about Bruno Mars? I'd like to hear comments on that.

    I don't care for the big mainstream acts, though I did consider trying for Queen until I saw the price tag. I get good seats from fan club presales.
  • a5pja5pj Posts: 3,892
    backseatLover12 said:

    Did anyone even read the second article about Bruno Mars? I'd like to hear comments on that.

    They can try and pass the 48 hour local thing, but it'll never happen. To much money involved.
    Wouldn't it be funny if the world ended in 2010, with lots of fire?



  • SD48277SD48277 Posts: 12,243
    It's an interesting strategy, but what is to prevent scalpers from standing on line and grabbing tickets before they go on sale online? Even if there was a limit to how many a person could buy at one time, I'm sure the scalpers could pay people to wait on line and purchase tickets on their behalf.
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  • callencallen Posts: 6,388
    Sucks sometimes but natural laws of supply and demand and as always those with money prevail. Have no problem with Neil getting more of the share. Better than scalpers. Could add names to tickets like what 10club does but that'll suck getting in and selling in event plans change.
    10-18-2000 Houston, 04-06-2003 Houston, 6-25-2003 Toronto, 10-8-2004 Kissimmee, 9-4-2005 Calgary, 12-3-05 Sao Paulo, 7-2-2006 Denver, 7-22-06 Gorge, 7-23-2006 Gorge, 9-13-2006 Bern, 6-22-2008 DC, 6-24-2008 MSG, 6-25-2008 MSG
  • hedonisthedonist Posts: 24,524
    Supply and demand - if some people weren't willing to pay so much, perhaps there wouldn't be a market for the astronomical prices or hoarding of tix. This could even tie into the market for the culling of certain animal parts in order to recapture "virility" (sad).

    As to supporting local acts, well...we've got a shitload of them out here. Thing is, when I'm able to see a band, I'm gonna make it a band that I love, or know, or have always wanted to see live. It's just not a priority for me...but I get that that's just me.

    (and for what it's worth, each time we saw Tool, we bought well after the initial sale date, dealt with decent people, and didn't overpay)
  • Treyert14Treyert14 Posts: 924
    brianlux said:

    Maybe time to start supporting local acts more frequently and limiting our support of mega-stars- get the money to the bands that could use a lift and stop paying so much into these big act extravaganzas.

    Now wait! I'm not saying don't go see Pearl Jam or Wilco or NIN or whatever but maybe just make big money groups a smaller percentage of our live band attendance and help out the many, many great smaller acts out there. Scalping is rarely a problem with lesser known acts. Some of my favorite live music experiences have been seeing bands where there was no problem getting in and getting close.

    I agree with this 100%!! :D
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