Now, IF I were enough of a fan to shell out cash for the close view. But, where there are profits, there is a way. They actually specifically state that their VIP service is available at Lakewood Amphitheater, Chastain, and The Tabernacle. I don’t know that for a fact – they could be relying on past data and the likelihood of tickets being available through various other scalpers.Ī visit to Rush’s website indicates, very strangely, that the Alpharetta venue, against type for all others, isn’t even a Live Nation event. What does this mean? Well, the scalper apparently has inside knowledge of the seating arrangement, and an arrangement of other sorts that tickets in defined areas will be available to them.
Rows A-0 are themselves interesting, especially given the venue’s recent trend towards removing the seats in that section for a larger general admission area (more bodies in the venue). Prices vary from $209 to over $500, some with specific rows already designated. In that the rows are NOT guaranteed to be in the center, we’ll assume it’s in a block (rather safely, I think) to one side. Let’s see, the first 15 rows, would be the orchestra section, presumably rows A-0. 1st stop is not yet for sale – even through a special pre-sale by Citi as best I can tell, but that isn’t stopping at least one scalper from publishing their prices in advance, by section. Live Nation is offering a ticket + junk, for $275-$300, at the venues where tickets are already being sold. So, let’s take for example, RUSH, who just announced a 2012 tour and will be headed my way in the fall. So, their VIP program offers the same junk (guitar picks, “exclusive” T-shirts, tour programs, blah blah) while pocketing a couple multiples of the face value price.
Well, of course LN should take the profit. Why should “fan clubs” – or whatever corporate entity plays along with the artist to vend that for them – take the profit for “seats guaranteed to be in the first 15 rows?” Especially given that Live Nation has first control of the tickets? It’s the latter of these that Live Nation VIP seems to be targeting.
the one.Īnd, there’s the pre-sale business, either through American Express, VISA, “fan clubs” of the bands, etc. It’s just “curious” how the same seat numbers seem to be sold by these benevolent ticket re-sellers regardless of the show.īut, as I have come to believe, the networking of tickets between sellers, published reports, and a conversation with a scalper, their paid army of ticket buyers is on the phone at the same time I am, when the sales open. These would be the primo seats in the first few rows, whether close to the stage or in balcony. I’ve also had suspicions about particular seats in local venues that just happen to always be in the possession of certain ticket resellers – i.e., scalpers that work from a corporate office (or a home) rather than on the street outside the venue. Slices of the pie go to the venue, the producer, and even the artist, and Ticketmaster (or whoever) takes the blame for the disproportionate scalping involved (example, last week’s $25 Drive-By Truckers tickets, with $10 Ticketmaster fee). As I’ve mentioned before, they aren’t “just” profit for the ticketing agency. Yes, I have frustration with ticket service fees.