Ticketing Glitch Leads to Bargain on Broadway

[morosco]

Posted: 7/11/18 at 12:41pm

Earlier today, the official ticket vendor accidentally offered orchestra, mezzanine, and balcony seat tickets to the upcoming Broadway show through August 17 for $16.95. The bargain tickets, which were less than the price of a movie two blocks away, should have priced at $169.50.

[kennin]

Posted: 7/11/18 at 12:43pm

morosco said: "Earlier today, the official ticket vendor accidentally offered orchestra, mezzanine, and balcony seat tickets to the upcoming Broadway show through August 17 for $16.95. The bargain tickets, which were less than the price of a movie two blocks away, should have priced at $169.50."

That’s crazy!  What show?

[Lot666]

Posted: 7/11/18 at 12:49pm

Something similar happened to me with tickets for Sunday in the Park with George at the Hudson. I had been watching the prices for a few weeks and one morning I noticed premium front/center orchestra seats that were suddenly and inexplicably priced like rear mezzanine. I bought mine immediately and they went up just minutes later. I chose Will Call, and when I arrived to pick up my ticket, the woman did a double-take and stammered for a few minutes, but when I showed her the email confirmation in my phone she handed over the ticket.

Updated On: 7/11/18 at 12:49 PM

[Elegance101]

Posted: 7/11/18 at 12:54pm

It was Getting The Band Back Together.

I didn't realize this was an accident, but wow. Already thought the show would be a mess, but this is just a cherry on top.

Updated On: 7/11/18 at 12:54 PM

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 7/11/18 at 12:57pm

kennin... really...?

[JSquared2]

Posted: 7/11/18 at 12:59pm

It was not a "glitch".  It was another marketing stunt from Ken "P.T." Davenport to try and drum up a few hours worth of interest in his show.  

Multiple people are required to sign off on ticket price scales (GM office, producer, theater owner, Telecharge, etc.) before they are entered into the system. 

[Elegance101]

Posted: 7/11/18 at 1:10pm

JSquared2 said: "It was not a "glitch". It was another marketing stunt from Ken "P.T." Davenport to try and drum up a few hours worth of interest in his show.

Multiple people are required to sign off on ticket price scales (GM office, producer, theater owner, Telecharge, etc.) before they are entered into the system."

I agree that it probably was a tactic, but do you not know what a glitch is? Just because people have to sign off on ticket prices doesn't mean a computer won't eff it up for some inexplicable reason.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 7/11/18 at 1:39pm

Elegance101 said: "JSquared2 said: "It was not a "glitch". It was another marketing stunt from Ken "P.T." Davenport to try and drum up a few hours worth of interest in his show.

Multiple people are required to sign off on ticket price scales (GM office, producer, theater owner, Telecharge, etc.) before they are entered into the system."

I agree that it probably was a tactic, but do you not know what a glitch is? Just because people have to sign off on ticket prices doesn't mean a computer won't eff it up for some inexplicable reason."

 

Thanks for that valuable insight, doll --- but I'm guessing that you don't understand what a tactic is?  It's can either be a "glitch" or a "tactic" --- it can't be both.

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 7/11/18 at 1:47pm

JSquared2 said: "It was not a "glitch". It was another marketing stunt from Ken "P.T." Davenport to try and drum up a few hours worth of interest in his show.

Multiple people are required to sign off on ticket price scales (GM office, producer, theater owner, Telecharge, etc.) before they are entered into the system."

Unless these multiple people are all standing there, looking over the shoulder of the person keying in the price on the computer to make sure there were no errors in inputting, this approval chain doesn't prevent a mistake from being made.

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 7/11/18 at 1:56pm

[Fetus]

Posted: 7/11/18 at 2:12pm

Considering the very short window these tickets were actually available for purchase, I doubt Forbes would be reporting on this if it weren't some sort of publicity stunt. Davenport commenting on the matter cements it for me.

[morosco]

Posted: 7/11/18 at 2:43pm

I doubt Telecharge would willingly participate in a publicity stunt that would make their company look bad.

Glitches happen and I wouldn't be surprised if Telecharge is held accountable to make up the dollar difference.

[itsjustmejonhotmailcom]

Posted: 7/11/18 at 2:48pm

I predict that we are going to see a VERY low average ticket price reported in their first week. I've been getting emails with $29 offers and what would normally be prime orchestra seats for $99. They can then point to this "glitch" to explain away that low ticket price for the first couple of weeks.

[upinlights]

Posted: 7/11/18 at 3:06pm

I've gotten SO. MANY. EMAILS. for discounts from them-- there's no way this wasn't on purpose. I guess it's better to sell a seat for $17 than for it to not sell at all. 

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 7/11/18 at 3:24pm

Something like this happened to me back in 2008, when "The Colour Purple" tour came to my city. Went to go use a 50% off code, and the $60.00 seats were $3.00 instead of $30.00!!

[zainmax]

Posted: 7/11/18 at 4:44pm

Were you able to get the Color Purple tickets?

Want to say it's a publicity stunt, but it's going to take a bath in the grosses.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 7/11/18 at 5:29pm

People, it wasn't a "glitch".  It was a 3 hour publicity stunt where they sold at best a few hundred seats that otherwise would have been papered --- and it's gotten people talking (at least here) about a show that has otherwise been completely ignored.

Updated On: 7/11/18 at 05:29 PM

[EllieRose2]

Posted: 7/11/18 at 5:34pm

I totally agree, it was absolutely not a glitch.  I love that they just lied about that.  The show is garbage, they know its garbage and if you look at the seats available, the entire world knows it's garbage. 

Updated On: 7/11/18 at 05:34 PM

[zainmax]

Posted: 7/11/18 at 5:47pm

If it was a publicity stunt, then Ken is certainly no David Merrick!

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 7/11/18 at 5:49pm

JSquared2 said: "People, it wasn'ta "glitch". It was a 3 hour publicity stunt where they sold at best a few hundred seats that otherwise would have been papered --- and it's gotten people talking (at least here) about a show that has otherwise been completely ignored."

Honestly, who was even shopping for tickets to this show during those 3 hours?

[zainmax]

Posted: 7/11/18 at 5:53pm

I feel like 10 tickets were sold, and it was only by people checking to see if the price was for real.

[Mark_E]

Posted: 7/12/18 at 3:13am

Reminds me when I booked tickets to the first preview of Dreamgirls in London and they were priced at £5.95 instead of £59.50. Had a call asking me to pay the remaining balance which I refused, and got an email the next day to say the mistake tickets would be honoured.

[kbreen826]

Posted: 7/12/18 at 8:11am

VintageSnarker said: "JSquared2 said: "People, it wasn'ta "glitch". It was a 3 hour publicity stunt where they sold at best a few hundred seats that otherwise would have been papered --- and it's gotten people talking (at least here) about a show that has otherwise been completely ignored."

Honestly, who was even shopping for tickets to this show during those 3 hours?"

 

A friend and I got them during this period - I had been on the website specifically because we were speculating about how low the prices were/whether seats were actually selling when we noticed the stunt/glitch/whatever.

[vampire musical]

Posted: 7/12/18 at 11:48am

The "stunt" now makes me really NOT want to see this show...

Unless of course the "glitch" happens again and I can see this for only $16.95 lol

[HunterK]

Posted: 7/12/18 at 5:01pm

vampire musical said: "The "stunt" now makes me really NOT want to see this show...

Unless of course the "glitch" happens again and I can see this for only $16.95 lol"

I was thinking the same exact thing!! Cheaper than a movie! 

Worried about this show. Some great talent in that cast!