TDF cost > face value?

When I saw Bash'd, the price on my ticket was a few dollars less than what I paid through tdf. It was still so much cheaper than a full price ticket would have been, so I was ok with it. I do agree with you that it is annoying that the extra fee is not advertised.

I understand that 4th. I read my membership agreement. I'm still saying it is very deceptive.

The small difference goes to keep the company in operation. Someone has to pay for the staff and office equipment, not to mention invest in the really amazing travel, education, and special access programs. Go to their website and look at all the things they do for students and those with mobility/sight/hearing challenges!!!

That's what my membership fee and service fees go to. Ticketmaster has to keep the lights on, too, don't they? If they want to raise funds, they should be straightforward about it--either charge a higher membership fee, charge a higher per-ticket fee, or solicit donations. You know why they don't? Because being honest would make the prices seem less attractive and lose them business. Hiding fees in ticket prices and not giving the theater as much as I'm paying FOR THE TICKET (not the service) is unethical.

And they also quoted me line "The ticket price printed on your ticket is ALWAYS different, but not always lower, than the price we pay." Well, I've ordered tickets to 6 shows before this one, and the ticket price always matched. So that statement is a lie.

The intent doesn't make a difference--if you reperesent a ticket as costing more than its actual face value, you're scalping it.

Updated On: 9/25/08 at 02:01 PM

They've started to put location of seats on their listings in recent months. I assume they've had a number of complaints. I've been put in seats in rows that are $5 more expensive than what they charged.

The price that's printed on the ticket is the price TDF paid which is not what you would pay if you went to the box office. You would pay full price (or use whatever discount you have) and that is the price that would then be printed on the ticket.

I'm sorry but I find your venom completely unfounded about this issue. If you don't want to renew your membership, then don't and you can pay full price and the ridiculous fees that ticketmaster and telecharge charge PER TICKET. The tdf fee is for the order, no matter how many seats you get. It never ceases to amaze me how entitled people can be about a deeply discounted ticket opportunity.

I read all of your posts and you seem to be missing the point. Complain all you want but I don't think your very strong opinion on this holds water. If you are that upset about a couple dollars difference then quit, don't support theater, and give all your money to ticketing agencies.

I've paid $40 for seats (that includes service charge) thru TDF which, at face value, were $46.

The box office was selling the seat for, give or take, $46.

The discounted price from TDF was $35 with $5 of service fees.

If I ordered the ticket through Telecharge, it would have been $50-odd, including service fees. If I got it at the box office, it would have been $48 with the restoration fee.

Plus or minus a few dollars.

Updated On: 9/25/08 at 04:51 PM

Yes, I am the same position that Yankee described. I have also gone to cheaper shows where, after fees, I paid practically the same price, if not a few dollars more, than I would have if I had paid full price.

And marky, your arguments really "don't hold water" when you show a lack of understanding of my situation in your post. You accuse me of complaining about explicit service fees. I am not. I am complaining about hidded surcharges and inaccurate prices.

And "face value" of a ticket is the "value" of the ticket on its "face." It is NOT the "next best available option."

Just a comment. I got tickets for The Seagull through tdf at $34 per ticket including the service fee. The tickets I received were Row H mezz center aisle. Stamped on the ticket was the price of $41 but the actual cost of the ticket if I had bought it at face value from the box office was $77. So, while I didn't get a great deal I still got a good deal.

In the past I've received seats that would have been equivalent to face value but never paid more that the seat was worth.

Also, I believe it is up to the box office staff to decide based on availability where the seats are located. So, it isn't tdf's fault if you end up in a seat equal in price to what you paid for.

TonyVincent--I went back and re-read my posts to try to figure out where you might have thought I was accusing you of anything and I came up empty. Can I assume that since you put "don't hold water" in quotes, that you are confusing my post with boxboynyc's where he uses that phrase?

I do agree with your definition of "face value". Since tickets are not printed until they are paid for, the price on the ticket is what was paid. When trying to figure out how good of a deal someone got, I recommend people compare what they paid to what the full price is of a ticket, or the price with more common discounts (the way Yankeefan did). So, for example, chris1978 saved over 50% on his Seagull ticket, compared to full price, even though he only saved $10 off of the "face value"--the $41.50 price is not one that would have been available to him (or her).

As for why the producers of Xanadu would be happy about TonyVincent's scenario... the best I can say is that they still make some money and get butts in seats. I don't know how it's decided how much money TDF buys their tickets for, but that's really between them and the producers. It's an agreement they've worked out together, and as long as I can see shows for $35--which is the price that TDF advertises when they sell me the ticket--I don't mind staying out of that negotiation.

I'm with Little_Sally. When I was up in the city over the summer, every ticket that I got through TDF would have been top tier tickets. I am hoping to have the same luck at the end of October, but think to see what I want to see, I am going to have to pay regular prices or chance TKTS.