Frustrated with media coverage

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Frustrated with media coverage - guitar101 - 05-31-2016

Is anyone else getting irritated with he media coverage surrounding this tour ? Today I heard both Cbc and ctv report that all shows are sold out ....when the reality is that roughly 80% of tickets haven't even been released yet. Cbc radio was also singing Adeles praises today for using a paperless ticketing policy for select seating locations. They suggested the hip should have used his method ..... Which they actually are on almost every date of this tour. On top of this we have Alan cross feigning surprise at how fast the presales sold out and suggesting something unusual was going on . The real issue here is a massive demand and a limited supply of tickets . Anyway I guess my point is, if you've been shut out of he presales so far, don't buy In to the doom and gloom that the media is spreading !!!

Re: Frustrated with media coverage - pforget - 05-31-2016

guitar101 Wrote:Is anyone else getting irritated with he media coverage surrounding this tour ? Today I heard both Cbc and ctv report that all shows are sold out ....when the reality is that roughly 80% of tickets haven't even been released yet. Cbc radio was also singing Adeles praises today for using a paperless ticketing policy for select seating locations. They suggested the hip should have used his method ..... Which they actually are on almost every date of this tour. On top of this we have Alan cross feigning surprise at how fast the presales sold out and suggesting something unusual was going on . The real issue here is a massive demand and a limited supply of tickets . Anyway I guess my point is, if you've been shut out of he presales so far, don't buy In to the doom and gloom that the media is spreading !!!

Absolutely correct. In fact, for some shows I doubt more than 10% of tickets have been released at this point.
Lots of opportunity on Friday.

Re: Frustrated with media coverage - HandsInTheRiver41 - 05-31-2016

I'm not complaining, only because it might mean less competition on Friday if people think it's over. :rambo:

Re: Frustrated with media coverage - boot - 06-01-2016

It's interesting, the things I've heard so far....

- somebody on FB was confused by the pre sale 'sold out' message, and couldn't figure out how the whole concert was sold out.
- a co-worker apparently paid $10 to get the fan club pre sale period (really!)
- there's lots of complaints about platinum (let's just agree that this is 'official') vs. Stubhub (somewhere between might be unofficially endorsed and not official).

but I also took a look at stubhub this evening.... I think I counted about 150 tickets for sale. For argument's sake, let's say that some have already been sold, or are up on Craigslist or kijiji... So, 300 tickets available for sale. I don't know if that's a god assumption or not.

If the presale was 20% of tickets, that's about about 1200 tickets.... So, 300 tickets on secondary markets out of 1200 available.... That's pretty big!!

I was hoping that little theoretical exercise would suggest that this scalping discussion was a little overblown, but if my numbers above are anywhere close, that has me concerned.

Re: Frustrated with media coverage - andrew sharpe - 06-01-2016

Great post. The media coverage is crazy and so far off. Makes you realize how little research they do. Let's all remember this for future stories.

Ticket scalping sucks. But if you don't like it, stop paying for the inflated tickets. Scalping would disappear tomorrow. This is capitalism! Stop being a victim and expecting corporations to protect you. Corporations exist for one reason: to make money. They got no innerest in a world completely possessed by the human mind.

I hope all this negative coverage will result in fair access to face value tickets. But the truth is, in a capitalist society, things are worth what people are willing to pay for them.

The real bummer is I'm sure this is the last thing the band needs right now emotionally.

Re: Frustrated with media coverage - guitar101 - 06-01-2016

andrew sharpe Wrote:The real bummer is I'm sure this is the last thing the band needs right now emotionally.

I think this is why its rubbed me the wrong way so much. I initially felt like the tour was a great celebration of the band and its fans, but all the media can focus on are the negative aspects. Plus all of the complaining ive seen on facebook about the band not coming to such and such a city. People here seem to have a much better attitude, so I think i'll start tuning out the main stream media stuff. Either way, I hope as many of us here get what we're looking for from the onsales without having to resort to stubhub.

Re: Frustrated with media coverage - NWOntario - 06-01-2016

I wish the media (and people in general) would stop referring to this as the band's "final" tour and as Kingston as the band's "final" show. We have no idea what'll happen after Kingston; all the band's said is that this is a tour in support of Man Machine Poem. The rush to eulogize Gord while he's still alive's distressing.

Re: Frustrated with media coverage - andrew sharpe - 06-01-2016

NWOntario Wrote:I wish the media (and people in general) would stop referring to this as the band's "final" tour and as Kingston as the band's "final" show. We have no idea what'll happen after Kingston; all the band's said is that this is a tour in support of Man Machine Poem. The rush to eulogize Gord while he's still alive's distressing.

Another great post. I hope the band aren't regretting doing the tour. I doubt any of them are interested in a "farewell tour" and all the media bs that will come with that, more of a "taking advantage of the time we've got" tour.

Re: Frustrated with media coverage - Rye - 06-01-2016

I agree that it is irresponsible of the media to suddenly peg this as a farewell tour and that no one knows what will happen after Kingston. If Gord is feeling good, wouldn't a NYE show make sense, especially with the Red Wings/Leafs Winter Classic in Toronto on New Years' Day?

What I don't agree with however is the media coverage, and the majority of the fan reaction to this presale. I posted some of this in another thread but I would like to repeat it since it's being discussed here.
- fast sell outs and tickets immediately ending up on StubHub is not something new. Every time Springsteen or U2 or any big pop act tour, this happens. People are acting super offended and like this is the first time it has ever occurred. If you have bought tickets to any big show over the past 10 years, you know tickets immediately end up on stubhub.
- the band is to blame for how this presale shook out:
1) the band/management allowed anyone to join the mailing list right up until the presale code was sent out, the presale code was a single generic password for everyone, the presale code was one of the three words in the band's new album title (easy to guess for those who hadn't found it online yet). For previous tours you had to log onto the bands' site to unlock a presale code, or they have emailed passwords and hour before the on sale, or in 2013 you simply purchased tickets within a certain price tier and they mailed you out the tickets closer to the show. They could have also emailed out a unique presale codes rather than a single, generic code. Any of these scenarios would have been preferable, especially since this is probably the most in-demand tour they've done since the first theatre tour in 2002.
2) the band and management have decided to participate in Platinum tickets. I see a lot of people disgusted that Ticketmaster is "marking up" tickets. This is absolutely not the case. The band has agreed to set aside tickets at a premium so they receive the profits from the markup rather than scalpers. Bands have the choice to participate in this, and The Hip have done this in the past with at least the Fully Completely tour. I'm almost certain you'll see more of these appear during the public on sale Friday.

Personally, I would never pay more than face value for a show. I also don't understand the argument of "I have a flight and hotel booked so I can't afford not to have tickets secured." 95% of shows have ticket drops if you are patient. And those above-face value tickets are still going to be above face value right before the show, so be patient! I have seen Pearl Jam 51 times and The Hip 16 times, I've almost always had great seats and never paid a penny more than face value.

Re: Frustrated with media coverage - MountainHip - 06-01-2016

Here's a great document from the NY Attorney General investigation. Confirms what most of us already know, but interesting to say the least. Scroll to page 17 to start the good stuff.

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.ag.ny.gov/pdfs/Ticket_Sales_Report.pdf">http://www.ag.ny.gov/pdfs/Ticket_Sales_Report.pdf</a>

Re: Frustrated with media coverage - andrew sharpe - 06-01-2016

Rye Wrote:2) the band and management have decided to participate in Platinum tickets. I see a lot of people disgusted that Ticketmaster is "marking up" tickets. This is absolutely not the case. The band has agreed to set aside tickets at a premium so they receive the profits from the markup rather than scalpers. Bands have the choice to participate in this, and The Hip have done this in the past with at least the Fully Completely tour. I'm almost certain you'll see more of these appear during the public on sale Friday.

Can you give us a source on this? I'd like to believe it isn't true, but at the same time, the reason any band sell records, t-shirts and tickets is to make money. So I really can't fault anyone for getting paid.

Rye Wrote:Personally, I would never pay more than face value for a show. 95% of shows have ticket drops if you are patient. And those above-face value tickets are still going to be above face value right before the show, so be patient! I have seen Pearl Jam 51 times and The Hip 16 times, I've almost always had great seats and never paid a penny more than face value.

Same. I've gotten face value tickets to many "impossible to get" shows by simply refreshing a site, being patient, travelling to another venue, or getting singles. If people would rather pay $500 than do any of that, all the power to them (and the business that accommodates them).

Re: Frustrated with media coverage - sean.bonner - 06-01-2016

NWOntario Wrote:I wish the media (and people in general) would stop referring to this as the band's "final" tour and as Kingston as the band's "final" show. We have no idea what'll happen after Kingston; all the band's said is that this is a tour in support of Man Machine Poem. The rush to eulogize Gord while he's still alive's distressing.

I've been trying to talk up this album here on Hipbase and nobody seems to really be biting. A damn shame, as the new Hip album is guarenteed to be a masterpiece and Tired as Fuck is phenomenal. A new Hip album is exactly what we need to help us Basers through this, and I know all 5 want us to rock this album harder than any album before.

Re: Frustrated with media coverage - NWOntario - 06-01-2016

sean.bonner Wrote:
NWOntario Wrote:I wish the media (and people in general) would stop referring to this as the band's "final" tour and as Kingston as the band's "final" show. We have no idea what'll happen after Kingston; all the band's said is that this is a tour in support of Man Machine Poem. The rush to eulogize Gord while he's still alive's distressing.
I've been trying to talk up this album here on Hipbase and nobody seems to really be biting. A damn shame, as the new Hip album is guarenteed to be a masterpiece and Tired as f**k is phenomenal. A new Hip album is exactly what we need to help us Basers through this, and I know all 5 want us to rock this album harder than any album before.

"In a World Possessed By the Human Mind" is phenomenal. Like, as good a single as the band's ever released. I can't wait till the new album drops.

Re: Frustrated with media coverage - NWOntario - 06-01-2016

Rye Wrote:I agree that it is irresponsible of the media to suddenly peg this as a farewell tour and that no one knows what will happen after Kingston. If Gord is feeling good, wouldn't a NYE show make sense, especially with the Red Wings/Leafs Winter Classic in Toronto on New Years' Day?

What I don't agree with however is the media coverage, and the majority of the fan reaction to this presale. I posted some of this in another thread but I would like to repeat it since it's being discussed here.
- fast sell outs and tickets immediately ending up on StubHub is not something new. Every time Springsteen or U2 or any big pop act tour, this happens. People are acting super offended and like this is the first time it has ever occurred. If you have bought tickets to any big show over the past 10 years, you know tickets immediately end up on stubhub.
- the band is to blame for how this presale shook out:
1) the band/management allowed anyone to join the mailing list right up until the presale code was sent out, the presale code was a single generic password for everyone, the presale code was one of the three words in the band's new album title (easy to guess for those who hadn't found it online yet). For previous tours you had to log onto the bands' site to unlock a presale code, or they have emailed passwords and hour before the on sale, or in 2013 you simply purchased tickets within a certain price tier and they mailed you out the tickets closer to the show. They could have also emailed out a unique presale codes rather than a single, generic code. Any of these scenarios would have been preferable, especially since this is probably the most in-demand tour they've done since the first theatre tour in 2002.
2) the band and management have decided to participate in Platinum tickets. I see a lot of people disgusted that Ticketmaster is "marking up" tickets. This is absolutely not the case. The band has agreed to set aside tickets at a premium so they receive the profits from the markup rather than scalpers. Bands have the choice to participate in this, and The Hip have done this in the past with at least the Fully Completely tour. I'm almost certain you'll see more of these appear during the public on sale Friday.

Personally, I would never pay more than face value for a show. I also don't understand the argument of "I have a flight and hotel booked so I can't afford not to have tickets secured." 95% of shows have ticket drops if you are patient. And those above-face value tickets are still going to be above face value right before the show, so be patient! I have seen Pearl Jam 51 times and The Hip 16 times, I've almost always had great seats and never paid a penny more than face value.

This, this, this.

At the risk of sounding callous: if there were problems with the presales, a lot of them are down to the band's management--like having that single, generic code, for instance. I'm not sure there's much value in comparing the Hip's ticketing policies (such as they are) with Pearl Jam's...but for argument's sake: Pearl Jam's moved to a lottery system for its fan club presales, which means some people get lucky (I'm 5/6 so far; the one was Wrigley 2013, which next to nobody got) and some people don't. The winners are allowed to purchase two tickets--not one, not three-plus--and have to pick them up at the box office the night of the show. It's not failsafe: in Ottawa last month, for instance, someone with a very similar last night to mine got my fan club seats, which were significantly better than his were supposed to be. I was originally given his; the band's management ended up giving me house seats. Anyway: it's not failsafe, but it's a heck of a lot better than emailing a mailing list (not a fan club, btw) one generic password well in advance of the onsale so it had plenty of time to circulate.

But beyond that, a lot of this boils down to the simple rules of supply-and-demand. There are a very limited number of presale seats available; there is a very large number of people wanting to see this tour. A lot of people seem upset that scalpers would take advantage of Gord's illness. Uh, have these people ever met a scalper? They're some of the skeeziest people on earth. Do we expect them to suddenly feel pangs of altruism because a band's lead singer has a serious illness? This is an invitation to these people to gouge buyers. The Kingston show's the perfect storm: small venue, last show of the tour (/of the band's career?), the band's hometown, a Saturday night in late August...and a scalper's dream. It sucks, but it is what it is.

Re: Frustrated with media coverage - Killer Whale Tank - 06-01-2016

One of the lessons of these kind of debacles is that - to put it bluntly - bands are ripping themselves off. Supply and demand dynamics suggest that the Hip could charge many hundreds of dollars for the first few rows of seats, for instance, on this particular tour. All that *seems* to be preventing bands from actually charging what the market will bear for tickets to their shows is a set of cultural norms and expectations about what such a ticket 'should' cost, and some lingering ideal of rock/popular music as somehow 'above' pure profiteering. It's amazing how much of music has failed to go the way of pro sports and just jack up the prices to actual market rates.

What's ironic in all this is that it's probably the hardest time to make money in music since the pre-war era. The Hip - who may never again get to tour on this scale, and who are (sadly, but probably) looking at a vastly less lucrative future - are missing out on their last chance to cash in really big. Full credit to them, but music fans in general seem to me not to realize how lucky they are that these cultural barriers to 'market rates' have not yet fallen. I'm fairly sure it's only a matter of time.