Autumnteeth Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 There has to be a better way to do ticketing. i am convinced each day, the two presale days plus the general sale, were dominated by scalpers. Anyone how wants proof can go to ebay stubhub or other resale markets. One third of the entire seating area of the show was available for sale saturday night. One third. I truly appreciate Wilco's efforts but this makes me sick. 33% being scalped before general sale starts means that real fans will be left out. 1 out of 3 tickets were gone, and onsale online , before the general sale. Add ebay in and I am sure half were gone to scalpers before general sale began, maybe 60%. Want to take my two daughters because need them to see the best band in music today andwant them to know what a great concert is. Will not pay these assholes to steal tickets, profit, and give them more money to buy better software or pay frontgate and ticket master employees off anymore than they do now. I wish someone would step in, search ebay, stubhub, etc., and seize those tickets. Not mad at Wilco at all, but wish the ticket sale companies would crack down on the secondary market. Only thing that I am upset with wilco for is that they know the amount people will pay for wilco tix from scalpers, increase the price to what they can make, and let people who are true fans pay MARKET PRICE. Serisously just wanted 3 in the same place so I can take my daughters to see what the world is missing. Instead, I am going to sit at hime and let corporate clowns who will not find people who want to go leave the opera house 30% unfilled to impress their clients. Still a fan, but will deal with not being able to go so corporate assclowns who would rather be watching in room porn can cut a deal. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
The Inside of Outside Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 Interesting question. I guess they should if they want to. For me, the smaller the better (bars are best, with the beer bottle sounds like IRememberDBoon said), but I don't think Wilco will plan their tours based on my preferences. I think they could play larger venues, but they don't. I would imagine that they can now sell out 5,000-10,000+ seat venues in larger markets, and could bypass the "tertiary markets" altogether. They might not choose these venues because, like many of their fans, they don't like them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tinnitus photography Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 autumnteeth, i think you are over-thinking things...spin the clock back 20 years ago and a band the profile of Wilco would easily be playing arenas. the fact that they are playing ~2-3K theaters means that tickets are in more demand. and do you think 'real fans' never buy off stubhub or ebay or the like? how did you get to that conclusion? maybe they got shutout like everyone else, and wanted to go to the show regardless. maybe the true answer is to do a dutch auction on ebay for every single seat. then the market would decide. but i'm guessing the average price would be a lot more than it is now (at least for some tickets). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cam Jones Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 I think people complaining about not getting tickets is sort of a cop out. If you REALLY WANT TICKETS. You will stay by your computer for the pre-sales and when they go on sale for the general public. I've never ever ever been shut out of a show. And i've seen some great ones. I think its great they can sell out the 2000-3000 seaters. And they shouldnt go bigger than that. Unless its a special occasion. Like opening for Neil Young. or something. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hwllo Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 I think people complaining about not getting tickets is sort of a cop out. If you REALLY WANT TICKETS. You will stay by your computer for the pre-sales and when they go on sale for the general public. I've never ever ever been shut out of a show. And i've seen some great ones. I think its great they can sell out the 2000-3000 seaters. And they shouldnt go bigger than that. Unless its a special occasion. Like opening for Neil Young. or something. it sounds like quite a few people waited by their computers for every opportunity and got shut out. some of the shows sold out in minutes Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest McGuffin Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 I think people complaining about not getting tickets is sort of a cop out. If you REALLY WANT TICKETS. You will stay by your computer for the pre-sales and when they go on sale for the general public. I've never ever ever been shut out of a show. And i've seen some great ones. Ridiculous post. There are more than 3500 Wilco fans in the Chicago area. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tinnitus photography Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 but are they REAL FANS? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 I think people complaining about not getting tickets is sort of a cop out. If you REALLY WANT TICKETS. You will stay by your computer for the pre-sales and when they go on sale for the general public. I've never ever ever been shut out of a show. And i've seen some great ones. Sorry, but you're wrong. My wife and I both did exactly what your describing for Ryman tickets, and we got nothing. And we REALLY WANTED THEM. What part of that is a cop out? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
choo-choo-charlie Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 Sorry, but you're wrong. My wife and I both did exactly what your describing for Ryman tickets, and we got nothing. And we REALLY WANTED THEM. What part of that is a cop out? I guess he means you just didn't want them bad enough? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 I guess he means you just didn't want them bad enough? I'm sure if we wanted them more, our computers and the ticket seller would have been more cooperative. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chris_H_2 Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 The shows at the UIC Pavillion two years ago were pretty much the worst Wilco shows I've seen in the 15+ years I've been going to Wilco shows. I doubt that it was more than mere coincidence. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MountainGerbil Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 It's a zero sum game, so they can't please everyone. Option A) Play small theaters, 2-3 dates per year in major markets, 1 date in select secondary/tertiary markets per year. Satisfies: most, not all, fans in major markets, and generally all fans in the other markets. Secondary benefit to die-hards who are willing to travel 2-3 hours to see band play in Duluth, or Worcester, or wherever. Disgruntles: A vocal minority of people in major markets not lucky enough to get a ticket or who can't afford one on Stubhub. Option Play small theaters, focus on satisfying demand of the major markets (3-5 shows per year) and skip most secondary and all tertiary markets. Satisfies: all fans in major markets, die hards in other markets who are willing to travel into the big city. Disgruntles: all fans who don't live in major markets who can't take time off/afford to travel into the city to see show. Option C) Play arenas (which, due to practical necessity, would only happen in major markets and/or large college towns). 1 show, probably, per geographic region in order to get the place to fill up. (e.g. 1 show in Boston, 1 show in MSG, 1 show in Philly, 1 show in Chicago, etc...). Satisfies: people who would not have been able to see them otherwise. Disgruntles: everyone else not sitting in the first 5 rows who swear that, had the band played Fox Theatre like last year, they would have gotten an awesome seat, forgetting the "Disgruntled" aspect of Option A. It's like Abe Lincoln said. One thing I am positive of: if seeing Wilco, or even getting a really good seat to do so, is one of your top priorities, there are ways to do it. Is there opportunity cost, in the form of being tied to the computer and/or shelling out 1.5-2.5x the face value of the ticket? Yes. But if you really want to go, it can be done. I'm surprised nobody here has trotted out the old "You know, maybe if the 'die hards' only went to 1 one show, the rest of us would get a chance!" saw. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 It's a zero sum game, so they can't please everyone. Option A) Play small theaters, 2-3 dates per year in major markets, I would consider Atlanta a major market, and I don't think we've ever gotten more than one show per year. This year, we have two nights back to back, but that's because they're playing a smaller than normal venue, and not because their tour is hitting Atlanta twice. What are the major markets that get 2-3 dates per year? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 but are they REAL FANS? Yes they are. I got shut out too and was trying like made for twenty minutes. Its just the way it goes sometimes. Luckily I have friends. I suspect that for Chicago another show will be added, but I could be wrong. Oh and since folks travel to see Wilco, lots of non-Chicagoans got tickets I am sure and also plenty of scalpers. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bleedorange Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 Perhaps ticket brokers and scalpers are doing a service for some people. Not everyone is capable of jumping online at the exact time tickets go on sale. Offering these tickets in a secondary market allows those people the opportunity to buy tickets they might not have ordinarily been able to purchase. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ditty Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 Perhaps ticket brokers and scalpers are doing a service for some people. Not everyone is capable of jumping online at the exact time tickets go on sale. Offering these tickets in a secondary market allows those people the opportunity to buy tickets they might not have ordinarily been able to purchase. There's no service in what they do. Since 25% of most of these shows are available on the secondary market, if ALL shows were PAPERLESS the people that wanted to go would have a better chance of getting tickets, even at a later time then the minute of onsale. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rockinrob Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 this should make a wilco fan test that you have to pass to get tickets. Trivia! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest McGuffin Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 The shows at the UIC Pavillion two years ago were pretty much the worst Wilco shows I've seen in the 15+ years I've been going to Wilco shows. I doubt that it was more than mere coincidence. Would you care to elaborate? Are you saying it was solely because it was a bigger venue? I've seen them about five times now, and I don't think they've ever been bad. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lamradio Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 this should make a wilco fan test that you have to pass to get tickets. 10.13.0508.06.06 10.04.0606.15.07 09.21.07 10.16.0708.01.08 JT 08.02.08 08.04.0802.14.09 JT 04.16.09 06.12.09 07.03.09 10.12.09 10.18.09 10.19.0903.13.10 JT 07.24.10 JT LRS 07.30.10 08.14.10 08.15.10 JT04.16.11 JT 06.04.11 JT LRS 09.13.11 10.01.11 10.02.11 10.04.11 I think ditty would pass. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MountainGerbil Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 I would consider Atlanta a major market, and I don't think we've ever gotten more than one show per year. This year, we have two nights back to back, but that's because they're playing a smaller than normal venue, and not because their tour is hitting Atlanta twice. What are the major markets that get 2-3 dates per year? Maybe "per year" was inaccurate. "per tour" seems more appropriate. NYC almost always gets 2 shows (and Jersey sometimes gets 2 as well). Chicago usually gets 2 shows. In addition, in recent years, Toronto, Milwaukee, Los Angeles, Austin, D.C., New Orleans have seen multiple dates, and on their upcoming dates Minneapolis, Nashville, and Atlanta have 2 shows apiece. I will say, however, I am surprised that there aren't more 2-3 date runs. Looking at WilcoBase, I expected to see a lot more then there have been over the past 4 years. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cam Jones Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 I might have been misunderstood. maybe not. But every presale I've done, I've gotten tickets just about right away. For the Boston show, I stopped for a second to look at the seating chart and still got an isle seat in the orchestra.Granted I was surrounded by people who didn't seem all that into it. Barely sang along. So what gives? I also think there should be a limit on presale tickets as well... I know there are several people on here that grab up several pairs of tickets just to get a "better seat" or something. Thats not meant to be malicious... but give everyone a chance eh? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ditty Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 I think ditty would pass. ...looking for 2 GA Floor tickets for the Detroit show if anyone has extras Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MountainGerbil Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 Perhaps ticket brokers and scalpers are doing a service for some people. Not everyone is capable of jumping online at the exact time tickets go on sale. Offering these tickets in a secondary market allows those people the opportunity to buy tickets they might not have ordinarily been able to purchase. But there are other ways than having to be online at a certain time. One can make arrangements with friends, or (if push really came to shove), someone who has a commitment at 10 A.M. on a wednesday (or whatnot) can ask/pay someone else to do it for them. Annoying? Sure. But again, if seeing Wilco is something that is a high priority, it shouldn't merit a second thought. I agree that sometimes life does get in the way (meeting runs late, computer crashes, sudden bout of nausea/wife going into labor, etc...) and in that case the secondary market can be a benefit. But having life get in the way for, sometimes literally, 2 minutes shouldn't end up costing you $75 extra per ticket. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bleedorange Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 But there are other ways than having to be online at a certain time. One can make arrangements with friends, or (if push really came to shove), someone who has a commitment at 10 A.M. on a wednesday (or whatnot) can ask/pay someone else to do it for them. Annoying? Sure. But again, if seeing Wilco is something that is a high priority, it shouldn't merit a second thought. I agree that sometimes life does get in the way (meeting runs late, computer crashes, sudden bout of nausea/wife going into labor, etc...) and in that case the secondary market can be a benefit. But having life get in the way for, sometimes literally, 2 minutes shouldn't end up costing you $75 extra per ticket. You can only charge what people are willing to pay. If people are willing to spend that much on tickets they might not have been able to purchase initially, then that's what the market dictates. My question is this, after reading ditty's comment multiple times, I'm still not sure what his argument/solution is. My presale tickets are paperless. If I can't use them, what's my recourse? Did this stop people from buying tickets to sell in the secondary market? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ditty Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 You can only charge what people are willing to pay. If people are willing to spend that much on tickets they might not have been able to purchase initially, then that's what the market dictates. My question is this, after reading ditty's comment multiple times, I'm still not sure what his argument/solution is. My presale tickets are paperless. If I can't use them, what's my recourse? Did this stop people from buying tickets to sell in the secondary market? Paperless tickets - http://www.ticketmaster.com/paperless = the end of scalpers Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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