Premium Seating?- Page 2

[Magdalene]

Posted: 1/19/06 at 9:49am

"That's not our problem. We live here. We have more of a right to not be gouged by greedy producers by having the ability to pick and choose. Perhaps if producers would cater more to New Yorkers than to ill-mannered tourists than perhaps we'd have quality shows on Broadway instead of crap like Mamma Mia and ANY of the Disney shows. It's not our fault that you don't live here."

Thanks for calling me ill-mannered---and you don't even know me!!!

Updated On: 1/19/06 at 09:49 AM

[kasim]

Posted: 1/19/06 at 9:51am

"It's not our fault that you don't live here."

Its not my fault you cant afford a ticket either.

And oh sorry ... you are suddenly an expert on what should be made and what shouldnt eh? Cant have mama mia or disney. Heaven forbid broadway actually appeals to a wide range of people and gets them involved. you want it just for you.

You remind me of people that follow a band for years, then get pissed when the band becomes famous nad whine "wahhh they are mainstream now"

[kasim]

Posted: 1/19/06 at 9:54am

you know whats funny is you are acting like ALLLL the good seats on premium. They arent. You just have to go get it in advanced.

They do reserve some premium which is smart.

YOu have a choice, have scalpers buy them up and make money off of them. cause go to the scalping web site they are high. Or the theatre reserves some, probabyl releases them at the last minute if not sold and can make the money.


So who'd you rather have get the money, scalpers or the theatre?

[Ladyofthe Lake]

Posted: 1/19/06 at 10:46am

"What New Yorkers have, that tourists do not, is the advantage of flexibility."

That's not our problem. We live here. We have more of a right to not be gouged by greedy producers by having the ability to pick and choose. Perhaps if producers would cater more to New Yorkers than to ill-mannered tourists than perhaps we'd have quality shows on Broadway instead of crap like Mamma Mia and ANY of the Disney shows. It's not our fault that you don't live here.

How completely and utterly rude, and totally not in keeping with the tone of what I wrote. Without the revenue from those "ill-mannered tourists" (as opposed to the "ill-mannered locals," I assume?), there would be fewer theatrical choices for everybody, at any price.

I'm not saying I'm a proponent of premium seating, but you make it sound like you have no other options than to pay it. Premium seats are sold at the regular price if you get them via the cancellation line - so it isn't an avenue that's totally blocked out to you if you aren't willing to cough up the extra bucks. And as a local, you do have an advantage there - although, unlike some people, I'm not going to whine about it.

And newsflash for you...just as not all New Yorkers are rude, all tourists aren't, either. Looking at this exchange between a New Yorker and a tourist...which one of us is being "ill-mannered"?

[Magdalene]

Posted: 1/19/06 at 11:12am

I'm not wealthy, but I plan---which means I scrimp on transportation and lodging to get good seats for a show. I'm planning a trip at the end of February, I'm going to seven shows in 4 days, and my transportation and lodging come to $200---and I live more than 300 miles away from NYC. I've had some of my tickets for 6+ months, and have gotten some as recently as this week---4 of the shows are front row (NOT at premium pricing), 2 of the shows are within the first 5 rows, and 1 show is front row mezzanine. I planned, scoured the discounts, and planned this trip very carefully so as to see and do as much as possible with as little money as possible (except for a few splurges when I hit the Big Apple). I say please and thank you, and I spend my money in my favorite city---if you don't want us "tourists" there, see how many theaters are open after a year of no tourist money coming in (yeah, maybe all they are seeing is Disney and Phantom, but they have to eat and sleep!)

[Fosse76]

Posted: 1/19/06 at 11:19am

"Its not my fault you cant afford a ticket either. "

I make a lot of money. I can easily afford to see a show on Broadway by purchasing a Premium ticket. I'm just not stupid enough to spend more on a ticket than it's worth. Why should I pay $300 for a seat just because some tourist thinks he or is special for being able to do it. Why should I have to pay $300 for the best seat in the house, when the top ticket price is advertised as $100 (or, as most shows now, $110). Premium seats exist to gouge people who desparately want to see the show from close-up. It was due to the high demand for tickets to The Producers. It;s just that simple. And for those who think, well, what's wrong with them trying to get more money? Well how about the City of New York charge a tourist tax. Maybe $50 a day for added congestion per tourist. I mean, that really is ridiculous, as are premium seats. I once bought a premium seat for Spelling Bee (back when they were $150) because I thought it wasn't that much more than a regular seat. But I would Never pay $300 for a seat at a Broadway show. There is NO show worth that. And I'm not irritated, like many of you are accusing me, of the premium seating itself. I'm irritated at the poster's assertion that New Yorkers have an UNFAIR advantage. Well, guess what? It's our city. We pay taxes just to live here. We pay some of the highest rents in the country. Broadway is OUR export. We have every right to have this advantage. If you don't like it, then move to New York and stop complaining.

[Magdalene]

Posted: 1/19/06 at 11:38am

Tourist Tax?
You want to CHARGE me money to SPEND money in your city? I seem to recall advertisements on television begging people to come to NYC after 9/11 (which I did---several times!) And now we're congestion? People with attitudes like yours are the reason NYC has such a bad reputation.

[kasim]

Posted: 1/19/06 at 11:38am

Fosse76>
First off nto ALL tourists are buying premium seating. Secondly it DOESNT exist JUST for them. As i said before its a way to help stop some scapling that goes on. OR does the concept of supply and demand escape you.

Wow its not JUST your city. Dude again, do you realize HOW screwed your city would be without tourists? Are you really that stupid? And the paying tax comment is retarded. YOu can live in a cheaper part of NYC if you want, you dont have to live in manhatten. My ex pays cheaper than mien.

Broadway is there for the benefit OF EVERYONE not just some close minded foolish new yorker like yourself.

[kasim]

Posted: 1/19/06 at 11:44am

"And now we're congestion? People with attitudes like yours are the reason NYC has such a bad reputation."

WERD! Besides ... congestion, first off most tourists i know dont get cars they will take a taxi into town then use the subway. Plus most of them go to do "tourist" thigns, like times square, statue of liberty, museums.

To hate tourists is the most laughable thing in the world.

Yes lets dis people who come into the town and spend money there.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 1/19/06 at 11:56am

I don't even live in NYC and I have to agree with Fosse76. I've never bought premium tickets and I've still managed to see every show I wanted to and then some, so none of you HAVE to spend all that money on tickets just to see a good show.

I'm just sick of people whining about how hard it is for them to get to NYC to see shows and how selfish/spoiled New Yorkers are for having this in their backyard. If you really wanted to see Broadway shows as often as you'd like, you would have already figured out a way to do it instead of demanding everyone else feel sorry for you for not having the same advantages as they do.

And since you obviously didn't notice this before:

"Well how about the City of New York charge a tourist tax. Maybe $50 a day for added congestion per tourist. I mean, that really is ridiculous, as are premium seats."

It wasn't a serious suggestion, it was comparing the circumstances.

[ken8631]

Posted: 1/19/06 at 12:18pm

Lots of those premium priced tickets drop down to regular price a day before the performance if they aren't sold.

[Magdalene]

Posted: 1/19/06 at 12:40pm

I DON'T live in NYC, and I DON'T buy premium tickets---and still I manage to get front row. While I wish I was as fortunate or as rich as Fosse76 to actually live in NYC, I am neither, so I visit. You don't want tourists, put up barbed wire and secede from the US.

[CK2]

Posted: 1/19/06 at 12:49pm

I can say that when I'm visiting NYC (being from Switzerland) I sometimes buy the tickets online. I can't complain what tickets I got so far. When I want to see a show in general (not really knowing the actors) I don't mind where I am sitting. I just want to enjoy a good show and have a great overview from further behind or even the mezzanine. If my favourite actor is involved I try to manage to get tickets in the orchestra and if possible in the first couple of rows. When I visited NYC in 2003 to see "Nine - The Musical" I had the advantage to know the dates of my trip about 4 - 5 months ahead and was able to get tickets in the third and second row. They were not premium seats. I paid the usual price of $101+. I don't mind to pay for such a full price ticket to see my favourite actor. Otherwise I am only buying the cheaper once. But I would never pay for premium seats, it's not worth it. Updated On: 1/19/06 at 12:49 PM

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 1/19/06 at 12:50pm

I think the prices are a bit steep too, especially with some of the premium prices, as so it seems that the theater is for the wealthy. But you have to do your research and you can find cheap seats at an affordable price. There are numerous discount codes out there, the TKTS booth, lottery seats, student and general rushes...and if you're lucky a lot of these seats are located in the orchestra. Broadway is a business...if producers want to charge a lot of money for a demanding show and can sell it, why not? It's not like there is no opportunity at all for "poorer" people to spend an afternoon or evening at the theatre. You just need to play the cards correctly.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 1/19/06 at 12:55pm

"I DON'T live in NYC, and I DON'T buy premium tickets---and still I manage to get front row. While I wish I was as fortunate or as rich as Fosse76 to actually live in NYC, I am neither, so I visit. You don't want tourists, put up barbed wire and secede from the US."

That wasn't the point. The original assertion was that tourists (i.e., people who don't live in the NYC metropolitan area) needed premium seats to get good seats because New Yorkers had an UNFAIR advantage because we live in the city. It was a BS argument. The fact is, out-of-towners have the same chance at getting tickets as New Yorkers do. Yes, we have flexibility, but this is the advantage of living in New York City. Why should we have to be gouged because of people planning trips after a show starts selling tickets? Broadway isn't exclusively for tourists. It is a form of entertainment. It's in New York. It's not OUR problem that you can't get tickets. If you want to pay $300 to see a mediocre show like The Lion King or $400 for a stupid show like Spamalot, so be it. But why should producers even be charging that much just because people will pay it? In my ludicrous tax example, I'm sure people would pay it...but should they have to? (I know Chicago has a hotel tax, so technically that could be construed a "tourist tax" so it's not like I made it up). Premium seats, yes they get released as regular seats, but still, their primary purpose is to gouge the theatregoing public. The fact that they reduce them in price closer to the performance proves that point. And for a point, I don't believe that premium seats are ever in the front row for the bulk of shows, because of the height of the stage. I think most shows start their premium seats around row B and C (except Spamalot, which reserves a very large portion of the center orchestra). But I reiterate that my argument was on the presumption the poster had that New Yorkers had an unfair disadvantage, which isn't true. That's like someone in San Diego complaining about an unfair advantage at getting tickets to the Chicago Cubs, when Chicagoans can get the good seats. I mean, it's their sportsteam. Broadway is our cultural phenomenom. While tourists feed its longevity, it isn't purely theirs.

[kasim]

Posted: 1/19/06 at 2:23pm

hotels have a higher tax in EVERY city. Its a hotel tax.

I didnt say that they had to have it because of it. But it does help. If as i said someone wants front row it allows them to get it. And yes a local who can go last minute DOES have an advantage to getting a good ticket last minute.

SO what the hell are you bitching that they exist for?

And comparing the chicago cubs is a horrible comparison. Its like saying hollywood is just for those around LA ... NO it happens to be a nationwide thing but has to center in one city.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 1/19/06 at 2:25pm

Broadway has tours, so my comparison to the Cubs was not inappropriate.

"And yes a local who can go last minute DOES have an advantage to getting a good ticket last minute. "

That's too bad for you. But it is not an unfair advantage. If you think it is, then perhaps you should petition producers to move Broadway to your city so you can stop bitching about it.

[kasim]

Posted: 1/19/06 at 2:39pm

No your comparison is retarded. When a show goes on tours it can take at least a year and tis not with the same cast. When the cubs go its the same week and with the same cast. Thus your comparison is fairly lame.

Secondly ... your whole "unfair" NO ONE Said anything about being "unfair" EXCEPT YOU! I just said it helps with FLEXIBILITY of out of towners. Which it does. And it provides more money for theatres instead of scalpers. And it doesnt take ALL the best tickets.

Thus, it is a good thing.