How do we stop Ticketmaster?
How do we stop Ticketmaster?
WishingWells
Chorus Member Joined: 3/19/07
#1How do we stop Ticketmaster?
Posted: 4/18/07 at 12:03pmI am really fed up with ticketmaster. I know the extra charges have been discussed before, but recentely I have found that if you use an American Express card you receive different seats that have been saved specifically for American Express card members. I have always thought presales were unfair, but saving seats for people who use specific ways of payment. That's just crap.
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#2re: How do we stop Ticketmaster?
Posted: 4/18/07 at 12:08pmYou have to follow the money. Why is American Express getting those special seats? Probably because they give some type of reward back to the producers.
#2re: How do we stop Ticketmaster?
Posted: 4/18/07 at 12:11pm
Also, Visa Signature. I tried to get tickets to Legally Blonde and if I had a Visa Signature card I could get center aisle seats, otherwise I had to take seats at the left or right aisle.
Unfortunately, I don't believe that this is Ticketmaster's doing though.
nomdeplume
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/20/05
#3re: How do we stop Ticketmaster?
Posted: 4/18/07 at 12:22pmAre these regular price orchestra seats of like $110 or are these the whopping $250 seats?
#4re: How do we stop Ticketmaster?
Posted: 4/18/07 at 1:01pm
From my own personal experience, they hold center orchestra seats (not premium, regular price) for AmEx holders and if you don't have the AmEx code to put into Ticketmaster all you can get is side orchestra.
I just bought tickets to Xanadu and when I was searching the tickets without the AmEx code all I could get were side orchestra tickets. I had a friend with an AmEx card buy them for me and they were offered the two center seats, center orchestra, row J. If I hadn't known about the AmEx code, I wouldn't even have known that there were better tickets available, which I'm sure is what many people experience when they go on Ticketmaster.
"Who here feels like they have no idea what they're doing?" - George, Grey's Anatomy
#5re: How do we stop Ticketmaster?
Posted: 4/18/07 at 1:03pmYou can stop ticketmaster by not buying your tix thru them.
Julian2
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/10/06
#6re: How do we stop Ticketmaster?
Posted: 4/18/07 at 1:10pmYa know, this actually explains a lot.
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#7re: How do we stop Ticketmaster?
Posted: 4/18/07 at 1:10pm
Exactly Muscle walk up to the box office of the theater and buy the tickets you want there.
But Amex or Visa special offers are a different matter entirely. Those incentives are part of the benefits of using that card. As Amex used to say "Membership has it's priviledges."
#8re: How do we stop Ticketmaster?
Posted: 4/18/07 at 1:55pm
"You can stop ticketmaster by not buying your tix thru them."
They are the only choice in many cases. Outside NYC (which also has Telecharge), it's the only choice in MOST cases. You can't always go directly to the box office. Plus, if you want good advance seats, your SOL otherwise.
Here in Chicago, I'll usually go downtown to buy Broadway/Chicago tix in person. It's a pain sometimes, but that way I don't have to pay the services charges and don't support TM.
Updated On: 4/18/07 at 01:55 PM
mrs felciano
Broadway Star Joined: 6/14/06
#9re: How do we stop Ticketmaster?
Posted: 4/18/07 at 2:11pmI've been having trouble with ticketmaster/telecharge. I've bought quite a few tickets over the past week. I received two emails on the same day saying my Curtains and Legally Blonde tickets were shipped. I received Curtains on Monday, but haven't received Legally Blonde yet. I don't know if that is Ticketmaster's fault or the Post Office. I ordered A Chorus Line tickets last night and still have not received my confirmation email, but the site said the order went through. I always get some sort of email! AND their customer service department is terrible. I've sent emails and I would receive an automatic reply saying I'd receive an email in no more than 48 hours. It's been a few days now. Still nothing.
#10re: How do we stop Ticketmaster?
Posted: 4/18/07 at 2:11pm
Oh, I was wondering why I could never get center orchestra seats for shows sold through Ticketmaster when I search for tickets weeks or even months in advance. That explains a lot.
But, I did learn that they release all the unsold premium and reserved seats a day or two before the show. I once managed to get tickets in row D center orchestra with a discount code for a show that was supposedly sold out at regular price when I tried to buy tickets two weeks earlier.
WishingWells
Chorus Member Joined: 3/19/07
#11re: How do we stop Ticketmaster?
Posted: 4/18/07 at 2:21pm
Ok two things:
1. Not everyone has the luxury of walking up to the box office and buying their seats in person. If I could call the box office and pay them money I would do that. But, we all know that is not possible. So, if I am planning a trip to NYC and want to make sure I see the show I want to see, I buy my tickets ahead of time. The only way to do that is through ticketmaster/telecharge. If the good seats are sold ahead of time, then fair enough. But save them for "special" people with "privileges" becuase you use a certain card is unfair.
2. If the same seats are available at the box office and you don't have to pay with a certain card, then why can't they be available to everyone online.
Updated On: 4/18/07 at 02:21 PM
Fosse76
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/21/05
#12re: How do we stop Ticketmaster?
Posted: 4/18/07 at 2:23pm
"But Amex or Visa special offers are a different matter entirely. Those incentives are part of the benefits of using that card. As Amex used to say 'Membership has it's priviledges.'"
But the problem is not everyone can get an American Express card (or a Visa Signature). It'd be one thing if anyone could get it (whether or not they had to pay a reasonable fee, but it would still be open to anyone). But the fact is anyone with a low income or someone with bad credit simply has no choice. Personally I think these types of business offers are discriminatory and should probably be illegal.
#13re: How do we stop Ticketmaster?
Posted: 4/18/07 at 2:45pm
Fosse, so by your argument someone with bad credit should get the same mortgage rates and other financial perks that someone with good credit gets? Then where is the incentive to pay your bills on time and not max out your cards, etc.?
It's a perk for being a good customer of Amex or Visa, not something discriminatory. Are there really that many low income/bad credit people that are clamoring for center orchestra seats to Broadway shows?
#14re: How do we stop Ticketmaster?
Posted: 4/18/07 at 2:50pm
How is it not discriminatory, not only to those who may have bad credit and can't get the card, but also to those who don't want to have an AmEx card just to be able to get good seats through Ticketmaster. I would be fine if they did it for presales only, which they do for a lot of concerts, etc, but to hold all the good seats even after tickets have gone on sale to the general public is just ridiculous. And why should it only be AmEx on BOTH Ticketmaster and Telecharge - that basically monopolizes the good seats for ALL of the shows on Broadway and unless you can get to the box office you have no other way to get them.
It's bad enough that there are premium seats that cost $250 plus, or scalpers that sell them for even more, how are typical theatre-goers who are willing to pay regular price supposed to get these good seats? Why shouldn't they be able to enjoy watching a show from center orchestra?
"Who here feels like they have no idea what they're doing?" - George, Grey's Anatomy
#15re: How do we stop Ticketmaster?
Posted: 4/18/07 at 2:53pm
The simple answer is they do it because they can. People are willing to pay for these perks, so theatres will charge accordingly.
Is it fair? No, but neither is life.
#16re: How do we stop Ticketmaster?
Posted: 4/18/07 at 3:01pm
So get an American Express card.
That seems like the best solution.
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#17re: How do we stop Ticketmaster?
Posted: 4/18/07 at 3:13pmThe preferred seating offered to holders of American Express cards is only available for limited periods. I think the real reason that center orchestra seats are difficult to get is that so many seats now are put aside as "premium seats." For hits, the ticket brokers, both legal and illegal, have early on gambled and purchased the most preferred seats.
Fosse76
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/21/05
#18re: How do we stop Ticketmaster?
Posted: 4/18/07 at 3:22pm
"Fosse, so by your argument someone with bad credit should get the same mortgage rates and other financial perks that someone with good credit gets? Then where is the incentive to pay your bills on time and not max out your cards, etc.?"
I wasn't talking about who could get a credit card. I was referring to the preferential payment option of a Broadway show for the best seats that isn't at some level accessible to everyone. Should everyone be able to get credit at a low rate? No. But should those same people be precluded from getting good seats to a Broadway show because they aren't allowed to get a credit card from a certain company? No. That is what is discriminatory.
"It's a perk for being a good customer of Amex or Visa, not something discriminatory. Are there really that many low income/bad credit people that are clamoring for center orchestra seats to Broadway shows? "
Maybe, maybe not. low income does not equal bad credit, nor does bad credit equal low income. You cannot assume that just because someone cannot for whatever reason get a VISA Signature or an AmEx card mean they are low income and have bad credit. Why should they not be able to purchase as good a seat as anyone else? Look at The ODd Couple, which sold-out during its pre-sale. Look at Wicked on tour, which sold-out its Chicago run during the pre-sale alone, prompting the open run. While subscribers took a huge chunk of tickets too, anyone could become a subscriber.
WishingWells
Chorus Member Joined: 3/19/07
#19re: How do we stop Ticketmaster?
Posted: 4/18/07 at 3:43pm
So is it ticketmaster or the theatre holding tickets for american express members? I am sure both are making money off it, either way.
Regardless, the end result of this will be that more people will get American Express/Visa cards when they see that they can get much better seats by having them. Just like you get the grocery store cards to save money. It is just unfortunate.
Updated On: 4/18/07 at 03:43 PM
#20re: How do we stop Ticketmaster?
Posted: 4/18/07 at 3:45pmDoesn't Broadwayworld sell tix online as well?
#21re: How do we stop Ticketmaster?
Posted: 4/18/07 at 4:01pmmuscle, they do, and I've never bought from them, but as far as I can tell they don't tell you where your seats are. You can only choose what price level you want and there's no way to actually see what seats you've gotten until after the tickets have been purchased.
"Who here feels like they have no idea what they're doing?" - George, Grey's Anatomy
#22re: How do we stop Ticketmaster?
Posted: 4/18/07 at 4:13pm
I don't have an Amex, but have used their preferred pre-sales before. You usually just need the cust svc 800# as your password.
I just dig around on the Amex global site to find the appropriate 800 #. Works about 95% of the time.
I HATE sitting anywhere but the middle of the first 5-15 rows, so if there's a way, I'll try to find it. 
#23re: How do we stop Ticketmaster?
Posted: 4/18/07 at 4:23pm
And remember: Pearl Jam and others went before Congress back in the 90s trying to get them to "stop" Ticketmaster. Didn't work.
Their monopoly and fees are bigger than ever.
Fosse76
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/21/05
#24re: How do we stop Ticketmaster?
Posted: 4/18/07 at 4:28pm
"Regardless, the end result of this will be that more people will get American Express/Visa cards when they see that they can get much better seats by having them. Just like you get the grocery store cards to save money. It is just unfortunate."
Clearly you weren't listening. Not everyone qualifies for a credit card. Anyone can get a grocery store card...there is no screening process for those. Credit cards are completely different. Why should a person be stuck in the rear balcony simply because he doesn't qualify for credit?
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