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“Make Way”: 1,200 Saints Season Ticket Holders Told To Get in Line

Vignesh — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:37:44 +0000

The new press box in the Superdome isn’t sitting too well with some 1,200 season-ticket holders.

That’s because they won’t have a seat to sit in.

The upper rows of sections 639-641 are being forced to make way for the construction of the new press box, itself displaced with the creation of 16 new suites. The Saints Box Office is in the process of calling the affected fans to let them know that their seats will no longer be available.

Michael Stanfield, VP of ticket and suite sales states “We’re working with these folks one-on-one and we take it very seriously.” The 1,200 fans are being given preference on the season-ticket wait list, which currently sits at 50,000 strong. However, the only way they will be able to get a seat is if current season ticket holders opt out of their seats.

Hmmmm…. Super Bowl champions heading into the new season. I wouldn’t be holding my breath in line.

Dutch Legislature Debates Secondary Ticketing Proposal

Vignesh — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:30:45 +0000

A proposed bill that would dampen predatory profiteering in the secondary ticket market has been debated on the floor in the Dutch legislature. The proposal, forwarded by MPs Arda Gerkens (Socialist Party) and Van Vroonhoven-Kok (CDA) would limit markups in the industry to 10% with the aim being to keep prices to culture and sporting events at affordable levels for the average citizen.

Economic Affairs Minister Maria van der Hoeven (CDA) was critical of the proposal, asserting that current laws can handle any problems, and that more drastic moves such as banning resale would be both expensive and it would too difficult to implement controls. Furthermore she wondered if the proposal would even be within European Union rules. She stated the industry itself should do more to address issues and opined that the concert industry had options such as shortening the time between tickets becoming available and the event dates.

The Netherlands have seen the secondary ticketing industry grow from a single site in 1998 to more than 24 sites to date, including a three-fold increase in the past five years.

Rammstein Puts Hammer Down On Secondary Ticketing

Vignesh — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:05:50 +0000

Bring your ID along with your ticket when you come to Rammstein concerts in Berlin.

Following through on their recent pledge to clampdown on secondary ticket vendors, the metal warriors have introduced a ticket personalization strategy. Every ticket will bear the first and last name of the purchaser and these will be checked against the ID of the person attending the shows. No match, no admittance.

According to a spokesperson the move is being undertaken “to make sure tickets are being bought directly by Rammstein fans and not by commercial ticket resellers, who will ask for more than double the price.” In addition to the personalization strategy there is also a limit of four tickets per customer.

The band will play May 21 and 22 in Berlin’s famed Wuhlheide venue. Tickets are price at €75 and the world-revered band is expected to sell out quickly.

The Glazers Hike Price of Man-Utd Tickets, once again

Vignesh — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:28:34 +0000

If you’re a Manchester United fan, now on it would cost you even more to sit in Old Trafford and cheer to your favorite players as the Glazer family, the owners or the club since 2005, are slamming the fans with the 5th price rise, which is to be effective from next season. This decision, also being called as a commercial suicide by the sources in media, is expected to come by the end of next month.

There have been speculations that Glazers see this price hike as one of the means to abate the 700 million pound debt which is hovering over the club. The hike on the price of tickets of league matches is expected to be around 12.5% and those of premier games like semi finals and the finals would rise by 25%. It is worth taking a note here that the price of watching a home league match at Old Trafford used to cost around £30 for an average ticket back in 2005, which is now expected to reach up to £46 next season in 2010.

The fans are very in-supportive to this decision and are criticizing the team owners and management for it. This continuous price hike has forced the management to see empty seats in the stadium but the rise still just doesn’t seem to stop.

Manny Pacquiao Tosses In Towel For Hawaiian Gig

Vignesh — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:15:49 +0000

As a boxer, no one can dispute the drawing power of Manny Pacquiao. Last Saturday’s fight in the cavernous Cowboys Stadium pulled in 50,000 fans. Pacquiao pulled no punches in defeating his opponent, Joshua Clottey, and for his efforts pulled down a cool $12 million.

The only thing being pulled this Sunday is the planned “Manny Pacquiao Live in Hawaii Concert Celebration”.

Despite having two albums go platinum in his native Philippines it appears that fans are more eager to see him in the ring than on the stage. With just a few days left before the scheduled Wakiki Shell appearance, promoters decided that 603 sold tickets was not enough to make a go of it, and cancelled the concert.

Ryan Chang of the concerts promoters, Island Fire Productions, expressed bewilderment at the lack of fan response, “I don’t know what to say about what happened. We though Hawaii would appreciate bring him in. Twenty five bucks is pretty reasonable.”

A.R. Rahman’s Chicago Gig’s Tickets: A “Grand” Evening

Vignesh — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:25:01 +0000

Seeing Oscar and Grammy Award winning performer A.R. Rahman’s “Jai Ho Concert” in Chicago June 18 in style could set you back a pretty penny.

Or 105,000 of them.

To be fair, tickets for the Windy City show, to be held in the Sears Center, are available for as low as $54,50, to a maximum of eight per customer. However, the premium priced tickets available on his official website are listed at $1050 and will get you express entry on the green carpet and pre-show service of non-alcoholic beverages and snacks.

Rajan Zed, a noted Indo-American statesman, expressed somewhat conflicted views, simultaneously praising Rahman for taking Indian music to new audiences, but also urging bottom ticket prices to be lowered to $20 so, in these times, more fans would be able to afford access.

The “A.R. Rahman Jai Ho Concert: The Journey Home World Tour” opens June 11 in New York’s Nassau Coliseum and ends 16 shows later in London’s famed Wembley Stadium on July 26.

London Olympics 2012 Ticket Availability: Clamor for Clarity

Vignesh — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:21:16 +0000

The London Olympic Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG) finds itself fielding a growing body of requests for clarity regarding ticket availability for the upcoming Games, including a poignant 18-question salvo from the London Assembly.

Concerns of availability stem for a variety of reasons but chiefly rise amid the issues of the number reserved for the “Olympic Family” (athletes, sponsors, press and dignitaries) and that, by law, tickets must become available to all members of the European Union at the same time, no preference can be shown to locals.

London 2012 spokespersons have already stated that tickets will not go on sale until 2011, but it has been revealed that a portion of the 9.2 million tickets have already been sold to a pair of hospitality packaging companies.

London Assembly committee chair Dee Doocey poses the question “How many people will be ahead of the average Londoner in the queue for Olympic tickets?”

A spokesman for London 2012 offers “We will be making an announcement about our ticketing strategy after the Vancouver Paralympic Games has finished.” Those Games are presently in progress.

Woods Confirms Attendance at Golf Competition: Ticket Price Skyrockets

Vignesh — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:45:39 +0000

Tiger Woods officially announced yesterday on his official website that he will participate in next month’s Masters in Augusta, Georgia. Usually, ticket price for the pro-golf competition are around $200, but last week the price for re-sales on GoldenTickets went up to $1950 just because of rumors that the long awaited 34 years-old Woods would return to the game scene.

After official confirmation for his attending in April’s competition, ticket prices increased to up to $2400 each. Woods’ attendance offers a great deal of attention to the Masters in Augusta competition and skyrockets ticket prices to the top of the scale like they haven’t been in a really long time.

Woods has just been through a sex scandal and hasn’t played for US Masters since his affairs were made public four months ago. The famous golf player stated that: “The major championships have always been a special focus in my career and I think Augusta is where I need to be, even though it’s been a while since I last played. I have undergone almost two months of in-patient therapy and I am continuing my treatment.”

Tiger Woods last game was back on November 15, when his team won against the Australian Masters.

Gaga Wraps Up European Leg, Releases North American “Monster” Dates

Vignesh — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 19:07:10 +0000

Lady Gaga is bringing the “Monster Ball” spectacle to North America following a successful run across the Pond in Europe.

The singer, who turns 24 this month, has enjoyed a wild rocket ride to stardom since the 2008 release of her debut album, “The Fame”. Fueled by her singular style and stage persona the Gaga juggernaut is set to storm back into North America and today released 31 tour dates, including stops in both Canada and her native U.S.A. As with so much that she does, ticket sales are certain to garner quick attention and be speedily scooped up. Virtually every move she makes snags a headline, including meeting Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II while dressed as a crimson….um… well…we’re not sure but it was certainly red and eye-catching.

Tickets for shows have not gone on sale yet but will begin for some shows on the West Coast beginning Friday March 19th.

TUI – Ticket Online Cement Collaboration, Exclusive Arrangement

Vignesh — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:06:19 +0000

Germany’s leading tour operator, TUI Deutschland, has secured arrangements with booking platform Ticket Online in a deal that will see the pair continue their successful partnership for at least another three years. In the three years to date that the duo has been working together over 700,000 tickets have been sold through TUI.

The deal sees TUI bringing its 9000 travel agencies to the table to take advantage of Ticket Online’s full service menu, which includes venues, ticketing software, marketing and back up services for a wide range of events and entertainments. By having direct access the travel agencies are able to offer an enhanced service to their customers, by being able to add booking tickets for events in destination locations. The partnership also benefits Ticket Online in that they get richer access to the tourist market for times events are going on, a market they might not otherwise have owing to convenience issues.

Ticket Online CEO adds “This cooperation enables us to continue to provide our promoters with a highly attractive sales channel for their tickets.