49+ Hours of Merch Sales for 6 hours of Music

my2hands
my2hands Posts: 17,117
in The Porch
what has become more important for the fans? I'm not trying to pass any judgement on the 10c or the fans... I have stood in a few merch lines in my day so i'm no better than the next guy... I just think the line has been blurred on what the concerts are actually about for some fans
«134

Comments

  • on2legs
    on2legs Posts: 16,122
    edited July 2016
    I don't think it has. But you can't buy a ticket for merch and secure your merch ahead of time like you can for the show. Just about all who are planning on going to Fenway have a ticket secured. So their focus is on the next thing which is the merch and can't be reserved ahead of time. So it requires people to line up and act crazy to get what they want. If concerts were a first come first serve deal the day of the show then many more people would be camping out and lining up for a chance to buy their seat and get into the show.
    1996: Randall's Island 2  1998: East Rutherford | MSG 1 & 2  2000: Cincinnati | Columbus | Jones Beach 1, 2, & 3 | Boston 1 | Camden 1 & 2 2003: Philadelphia | Uniondale | MSG 1 & 2 | Holmdel  2005: Atlantic City 1  2006: Camden 1 | East Rutherford 1 & 2 2008: Camden 1 & 2 | MSG 1 & 2 (#25) | Newark (EV)  2009: Philadelphia 1, 2 & 4  2010: Newark | MSG 1 & 2  2011: Toronto 1  2013: Wrigley Field | Brooklyn 2 | Philadelphia 1 & 2 | Baltimore  2015: Central Park  2016: Philadelphia 1 & 2 | MSG 1 & 2 | Fenway Park 2 | MSG (TOTD)  2017: Brooklyn (RnR HOF)  2020: MSG | Asbury Park  2021: Asbury Park  2022: MSG | Camden | Nashville  2024: MSG 1 & 2 (#50) | Philadelphia 1 & 2 | Baltimore  2025: Raleigh 2


  • Tim Simmons
    Tim Simmons Posts: 10,459
    edited July 2016
    I see what you are getting at and its a valid point, but to be fair, it's 49 hours of sale time because it's gonna take a while to accommodate fans and the demand.
  • gotthebottle
    gotthebottle San Diego Posts: 3,901
    Merch makes money for performers....the more they can sell the better for the bottom line. People tend to impulse buy as well when they've been waiting in line for hours then get to the front and think..."I better get this now before I lose my chance!"
  • drakeheuer14
    drakeheuer14 Posts: 4,636
    The concert is still by far the most important to me. And i think it still is for majority of people. After that, all I really 'need' is the bootleg and im a very happy camper. Merch is awesome and another cool way to remember the night, but I could live without it. I would sell all of the merch i own to see one last show if thats what it came to. Merch is freaking sweet and its cool to get excited about it. Not only is it another way to represent that special night, but look what it has done for fans: standing in lines you get to meet some sweet people in the PJ community and all of the trading and such allows you to interact with people you may never have without it.
    Pittsburgh 2013
    Cincinnati 2014
    Greenville 2016
    (Raleigh 2016)
    Columbia 2016
  • my2hands
    my2hands Posts: 17,117
    gotthebottle said:

    Merch makes money for performers....the more they can sell the better for the bottom line. People tend to impulse buy as well when they've been waiting in line for hours then get to the front and think..."I better get this now before I lose my chance!"

    I don't question the 10c at all... I think they have come up with a genius system... i love the red merch truck setup before the show... which has helped turn the merch scene into a feeding frenzy... I waited longer in the Hampton merch line for 3 stickers than I spent in the actual arena for the concert... I love the posters and stickers, always have... but i'm just a little concerned when merchandise sales begin 3 days before the actual concert occurs

    the demand from us, the fans, is what I'm interested in... how did it get this crazy? will it get worse? is this healthy? are we making Pearl Jam lame?
  • Poncier
    Poncier Posts: 18,200
    I have to assume this is a way to try and make things better for all involved, with merch sales spread out over nearly a week, hopefully nobody has to spend ridiculous amounts of time in line like they have for some past shows. And hopefully there will be some $1 ice cold water available near by.
    This weekend we rock Portland
  • tylermoore
    tylermoore St. Joseph, MI Posts: 1,118
    edited July 2016
    I don't think it anyway it makes anything "lame".
    My friends who came along to some shows with me this year and never been to any PJ shows, they were amazed about the whole merch thing. How big of a band they are for people to care about merch that much.
    I think it's pretty cool.
  • PJNB
    PJNB Posts: 13,890
    If opening up 3 days before the concert will make the lines easier on us that are going on Friday and Sunday I am all for it. Sadly I think this will only make a small bump on those lines and in turn help the flippers even more.
  • my2hands
    my2hands Posts: 17,117
    From what I understand this is strictly an American phenomenon? I haven't seem them internationally, but from what I've read this merch craze is really only an American thing

    Not sure what that says about us Americans, but it's definitely interesting if true
  • SVRDhand13
    SVRDhand13 Posts: 27,021
    10C is in a no win situation. Longer hours and the music means less than the merch, shorter hours and they are inconveniencing the fans.

    I don't find the band greedy with their setup. Almost everything they sell, including tickets, could be valued higher.

    For the fans, it's up to each person to experience the weekend and create memories. Mine will come in the field but I don't mind if others come from on the merch line.
    severed hand thirteen
    2006: Gorge 7/23 2008: Hartford 6/27 Beacon 7/1 2009: Spectrum 10/30-31
    2010: Newark 5/18 MSG 5/20-21 2011: PJ20 9/3-4 2012: Made In America 9/2
    2013: Brooklyn 10/18-19 Philly 10/21-22 Hartford 10/25 2014: ACL10/12
    2015: NYC 9/23 2016: Tampa 4/11 Philly 4/28-29 MSG 5/1-2 Fenway 8/5+8/7
    2017: RRHoF 4/7   2018: Fenway 9/2+9/4   2021: Sea Hear Now 9/18 
    2022: MSG 9/11  2024: MSG 9/3-4 Philly 9/7+9/9 Fenway 9/15+9/17
    2025: Pittsburgh 5/16+5/18
  • my2hands
    my2hands Posts: 17,117
    tylermoore said:

    I don't think it anyway it makes anything "lame".
    My friends who came along to some shows with me this year and never been to any PJ shows, they were amazed about the whole merch thing. How big of a band they are for people to care about merch that much.
    I think it's pretty cool.

    The reason I asked is I think of Gene Simmons... at one point KISS was pretty badass and generally well respected... now they are a joke for most music fans... so my question is who came first? Gene Simmons, or the fans willing to buy literally anything from Gene Simmons

    It's tough for a business to leave money on the table... so it's only natural for the 10c to feed the beast... so my question is are we, the fans, creating a monster with our insatiable desire for anything with "Pearl Jam" on it

    I'm not pointing fingers or passing judgement on anybody, just interested in a real conversation about this
  • my2hands
    my2hands Posts: 17,117
    SVRDhand13 said:

    10C is in a no win situation. Longer hours and the music means less than the merch, shorter hours and they are inconveniencing the fans.

    I don't find the band greedy with their setup. Almost everything they sell, including tickets, could be valued higher.

    For the fans, it's up to each person to experience the weekend and create memories. Mine will come in the field but I don't mind if others come from on the merch line.

    Again, I'm not passing any judgement on the 10c... this is not about the 10c...

    I'm interested in the fans, specifically us American fans who seem to be driving this...

    What is driving middle aged people to stand in line for 3+ hours for stickers & flip flops? And is that healthy for us as a fanbase? Can our thirst for "stuff" harm the band in any way?
  • my2hands
    my2hands Posts: 17,117
    trust me, I can't wait to see the posters and stickers and will definitely own at least 1 of the posters and stickers
  • jp307677
    jp307677 Boston Posts: 417
    tylermoore said:

    I don't think it anyway it makes anything "lame".
    My friends who came along to some shows with me this year and never been to any PJ shows, they were amazed about the whole merch thing. How big of a band they are for people to care about merch that much.
    I think it's pretty cool.

    Exactly
  • tylermoore
    tylermoore St. Joseph, MI Posts: 1,118
    edited July 2016
    my2hands said:

    tylermoore said:

    I don't think it anyway it makes anything "lame".
    My friends who came along to some shows with me this year and never been to any PJ shows, they were amazed about the whole merch thing. How big of a band they are for people to care about merch that much.
    I think it's pretty cool.

    The reason I asked is I think of Gene Simmons... at one point KISS was pretty badass and generally well respected... now they are a joke for most music fans... so my question is who came first? Gene Simmons, or the fans willing to buy literally anything from Gene Simmons

    It's tough for a business to leave money on the table... so it's only natural for the 10c to feed the beast... so my question is are we, the fans, creating a monster with our insatiable desire for anything with "Pearl Jam" on it

    I'm not pointing fingers or passing judgement on anybody, just interested in a real conversation about this
    That makes sense. Tho, I think PJ has more respect than to do what kiss does and literally put their names on EVERYTHING they possibly can. I just want posters lol.
    I guess Wrigley '13 was pretty excessive with the pennants, trading cards, hats, and so many other Wrigley specific items.
  • Edved007
    Edved007 Milwaukee, WI Posts: 1,066
    my2hands said:

    From what I understand this is strictly an American phenomenon? I haven't seem them internationally, but from what I've read this merch craze is really only an American thing

    Not sure what that says about us Americans, but it's definitely interesting if true

    This is 100% accurate. I was fortunate enough to catch a couple shows in Europe in 2014 and a couple more last fall in Brazil. At any show in any city I could walk right up to the table and buy what ever I wanted. My first show in '14 in Stockholm I was so paranoid about the stupid poster that I took the train from my hotel out to the stadium in the morning. After nothing was going on I went back to town and did a boat tour that afternoon. An hour before show time I walked right up and bought whatever I wanted, and in hindsight I wish I just waited till after the show instead of holding on to my tube in the somewhat aggressive GA pit.
    95' - 7/9
    98' - 6/26, 6/27, 6/29, 8/26, 9/22
    03' - 4/25
    06' - 6/29, 6/30
    07' - 8/05
    09' - 8/23
    11' - 9/03, 9/04
    12' - 9/30
    13' - 7/16, 7/19, 10/21, 10/22, 11/15, 11/16, 12/06
    14' - 06/28, 06/29, 10/1, 10/03, 10/16, 10/17, 10/20, 10/22
    15' - 11/20, 11/22
    16' - 4/21, 4/26, 4/28, 4/29, 5/1, 5/2, 7/9, 8/5, 8/7, 8/20, 8/22
    17' - 4/7
    18' - 7/1, 7/3, 7/5, 8/8, 8/10, 8/18, 8/20, 9/4
    21' - 10/1, 10/2
    22' - 7/12, 7/14, 9/6, 9/8
  • Merkin Baller
    Merkin Baller Posts: 12,796
    edited July 2016
    It's a very valid discussion. We are pretty materialistic for sure, but at the same time..... These shows have taken on a life of their own, why shouldn't the show specific merchandise too?

    I don't judge if people want to get in line, I would be hypocritical if I did. I stood in line for four hours at Wrigley 3 years ago & got jack. No regrets, I met & hung out with some awesome people and that's one of the things I love the most about traveling to PJ shows. I also scored at the merch stand inside. My Cracker Jack & baseball/skull t-shirt are hands down, my favorite concert memorabilia ever. I dropped some major coin on the frame job for CJ, and it's never coming down.

    I do wish PJ did more to restrict the secondary market. I know people have suggestions as to how it could be done, I'm not worried about getting into that, but it's unfortunate that so many people who have no stake in this beyond making a profit have access to items that mean so much to many real fans.

    I can't worry about the Fenway merch personally, as I have too much going on next weekend. If there's a poster I need, I have plenty of trades to offer, (got lucky in the poster drops after this spring's tour) but at this point, if I get nothing...... I'm still going to both shows, and that is what counts the most.
  • zevilone
    zevilone Posts: 349
    settle down beavis
  • ruggs1996
    ruggs1996 Posts: 586
    Agree with the OP. It's getting ridiculous.
    Camden 2 (2008) 
    Philly 1 and 4 (2009)
    Newark (2010)
    MSG 1 (2010)
    Toronto 1 and 2 (2011)
    Brooklyn 1 and 2 (2013)
    Philly 2 (2013)
    Greenville (2016)
    Columbia (2016)
    MSG 2 (2016)
    Fenway 2 (2016)
    EV NJPAC (2022)
    MSG (2022)
    Denver (2022)
  • Eddieredder
    Eddieredder Posts: 753
    Its an interesting conversation. To each his own. I wish there was a better way but in reality there aren't great solutions. I'd love presale of items for 10c members with tickets, but I can understand the logistical problems with this too.

    Sadly anytime people can exploit something for profit by reselling it doesn't take long before people will jump on this. Its the same for tickets. Its the same for any business venture. Its the American way.

    A band this big + Fanatical fans + limited one of a kind items = madness. It is what it is. We created this mess that we love so much.

    I've stood in the lines. I'm no hypocrite. This time around I'm gonna pass. I'll be in the bar. If I really like something I'll probably overpay for it on the secondary market. Time/experience is money. The show is the important thing. At the end of the day its just material stuff. I have enough of that stored in my closet already!

Categories