Fan Club woes - is there a point any more?

RK50065 · August 2020

Not this again.

pjl44 · August 2020

Zod said:

The way I feel about it now, is if you have a membership that goes back to maybe the Binaural/Riot Act Tours or older, you probably want to keep renewing, to have better seat location when the band does tour. If you signed since that time, how much seniority do you really get? I've been in the club since 98 and it never felt like I gained seniority before GA became a thing. Old Timers are probably better off keeping their memberships so that if they don't score GA tickets they still get decent seat location. If your a newer member you could probably get away with wading in and out of memberships. Rumours usually start going strong before a tour gets officially announced. All you need to do is sign up when the rumour dates are somewhere you want to go. I've done that in other bands fan clubs. Metallica, U2, AC/DC, etc. Sign up to get fan tix, don't renew kind of thing. You often get access to great tickets for not much of a premium price.

I would also say if you don't live in a big city that PJ frequents, and you loathe travelling, that maybe you don't need to keep a membership going. PJ (prior to Covid19) seems to play similar places, so most people need to travel to see them. If you don't like to travel, it might not be worth $20/yr waiting from them to play your hometown, that they never play.

I feel it's worth $20/yr to me. I know I don't see them every year, but I usually manage to check out shows every 2 or 3 years. 10c has hooked me up with many tickets over the years. It seems like a small price to pay for decent tickets when PJ plays.

I've done the same thing with Metallica (and REM way back when). Join a few days before the onsale and come away with incredible seats. It's one of the best arguments for seniority. It mitigates what people have to gain by the float-in/float-out strategy. Never mind the scalpers.

If there is a surge of noobs, it makes it harder to get drawn for any tickets. It wouldn't shock me if that is what happens with GA.

THEBIBLEISTEN · August 2020

I just want what I paid for 3 years ago and still haven’t received. Send me my 45s and deep mags.

Ledbetterman10 · August 2020

pianomack said:

For starters, I dont want to sound negative or unappreciative. I've been a fan club member for some time now and for many years, I absolutely loved it. I got access to some great concert tickets for some of the best PJ shows I've ever seen. I loved the fan club packages we used to get with Deep and the holiday singles, even the collectibles like the stickers and mini-posters and pins. All of that being said, I'm still paying an annual membership fee and I dont feel any benefits any more. Sure, I get a t-shirt every year and a digital download code, but the unique items are gone. I paid for tickets to a 2020 concert I will never see (obviously COVID-19 wasn't PJs fault). I don't think a holiday single or fan club gift has gone out since 2016 (?). So I ask, does anyone else see a reason to be a paying member of the fan club any more other than maintaining your fan club number and loyalty to the band?

Yeah, maintaining the fan club number is the only reason I renew. Definitely not band loyalty. Where’s their loyalty if ya don’t even get what they say you’ll get?

I’m 36 and even really care about vinyls or deep mags anymore. But when I was 14 and signed up, I lived for that shit. I bet there’s still teenagers signing up to this day, and they probably get let down big time.

pjl44 · August 2020

Won't someone think of the teenagers

Ledbetterman10 · August 2020

pjl44 said:

Won't someone think of the teenagers

Be snarky all ya want. I’m just saying the fanclub used to fun, and now it’s basically a ripoff. I can flush $40 down the toilet no problem. But someone younger, who isn’t wise to the fact that they’re not going to get what they paid for, are in for some disappointment.

pjl44 · August 2020

If you're a teenager who recently joined the Ten Club, please share your tale of heartbreak here

NashvillePJfan · August 2020

Wish they would do away with GA.If the point is to have newer fans get to be closer, lottery in a couple newer fans per row for the first 20 rows on the floor but don't have the whole pit be a lottery, give seniority to get in GA.

I have been a member since 1998. The peak of value for me was 2008 to 2012, I got great seats all the time especially outdoor amphiteatures. Since then seat locations have been getting steadily worse and have generally had no luck getting GAs. Not cool. I get locked out of GAs and then I'm pushed way back farther in the lower sections than I was 12 years ago. My Fenway tickets on the field were terrible.

Still, is it worth having a membership? Of course it is. Generally (other than Fenway type situations) 10C gets the best tickets, very difficult to get decent tickets through public sales or secondary market.

Tim Simmons · August 2020

Imagine still doing something that you don't think is fun anymore.

Ledbetterman10 · August 2020

They’re probably on TikTok or something right now and won’t see your post.

pjl44 · August 2020

NashvillePJfan said:

Wish they would do away with GA.If the point is to have newer fans get to be closer, lottery in a couple newer fans per row for the first 20 rows on the floor but don't have the whole pit be a lottery, give seniority to get in GA.

I have been a member since 1998. The peak of value for me was 2008 to 2012, I got great seats all the time especially outdoor amphiteatures. Since then seat locations have been getting steadily worse and have generally had no luck getting GAs. Not cool. I get locked out of GAs and then I'm pushed way back farther in the lower sections than I was 12 years ago. My Fenway tickets on the field were terrible.

Still, is it worth having a membership? Of course it is. Generally (other than Fenway type situations) 10C gets the best tickets, very difficult to get decent tickets through public sales or secondary market.

Selfishly I'm with you, but at this point they clearly dig having a GA section up front. Maybe they like the energy better? Maybe they wanted to democratize things more without abandoning seniority entirely? Maybe they can sell more tickets? Maybe they like driving the demand?

I'm just glad seniority really meant something in my heyday. It was a good run for 15 years or so of incredible seats. Ten Club is still a great value and if it ever isn't I'll just drop it and not sweat it too much.

Bentleyspop · August 2020

So far he have membership equals...

1 Panda Express order
Or
2 Chipotle burritos

I look at it as 3 4pks of really good local craft IPAs

Anyone else?

pjl44 · August 2020

Bentleyspop said:

So far he have membership equals...

1 Panda Express order
Or
2 Chipotle burritos

I look at it as 3 4pks of really good local craft IPAs

Anyone else?

I must be drinkin' fancy because I can only squeeze 2 4pks out of that

CarryTheZero · August 2020

Still enjoy the fan club. 10CLUB tickets for me have been great, Jacksonville GA was such an great experience! Super happy when it is concert time with access to tickets.

Good seats at Wrigley and Fenway. Happy with my Gigaton seats (someday next year hopefully!).

Love the band and the music. Would love to have my vinyl now, but it will come eventually.

on2legs · August 2020

Bentleyspop said:

So far he have membership equals...

1 Panda Express order
Or
2 Chipotle burritos

I look at it as 3 4pks of really good local craft IPAs

Anyone else?

I believe someone mentioned 3 months of Netflix as well.

Spiritual_Chaos · August 2020

IN BEFORE

"So, leave.! And I will jump up a spot with my membership number"

IN BEFORE

"blah blah market economy. Bla Bla Vote with you wallet"

F Me In The Brain · August 2020

Bentleyspop said:

So far he have membership equals...

1 Panda Express order
Or
2 Chipotle burritos

I look at it as 3 4pks of really good local craft IPAs

Anyone else?

https://community.pearljam.com/discussion/282280/things-i-spent-40-on-or-how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-love-the-ten-club/p4

JimFletcherPearlJam · August 2020

Maybe I'll just pay the annual membership for him this year.

PJNB · August 2020

The amount of tickets the fanclub got from the spring tour alone should tell you that it is worth the $20 alone to stay out of the public sale headache. Good membership number or not it is still worth it imo. I mean I just went to Subway with my wife and 3 kids and spent $50 for one meal. I am pretty surprised people are even talking about the value of this.

1STmammal2wearPants · August 2020

JimmyV said:

$20 a year for the ticket lottery, message board, any exclusive merch and whatever else gets thrown in. I'm fine with that price for what I get.

This. The seats since 2003 when I signed up for 10c have been worth the price of admission alone - been blessed to see them in GA in my hometown of Worcester, on the field multiple times at Fenway, 10th row dead center in random lottery, 3rd row for EV, etc....and I've been in the 10c 12 years less than some of the OGs.

I'm also amazed they had a $20 membership for years that included the vinyl. Always been worth the value for me. They've hooked up the fans.

Fan Club woes - is there a point any more?

Comments

Categories