Ticketmaster fun

[daleduke17]

This has been about five years ago, but it is still a funny story. First off, realize that the local Ticketmaster outlet is inside the service desk for Bergners. This particular day there were either two or three shows going on sale at the same time, right at opening (10am on Saturday morning). Well, a whole group of us show up so we can get in line to get our tickets. I, along with some friends, were there to get WWE tickets. There were some people for a concert as well. One guy took the cake though. Bergners did a ticket system to where one person was first in line, then starting with the next sequential number, went on. I was third in line and took the money for my friends and waited. 10am struck and the door opened to the store. We get upstairs and Sir Idiot showed himself.

TMC - Ticketmaster Clerk.
Me - me.
IWM - Irritated Wrestling Mob.
SI - Sir Idiot.
FWF - Female wrestling fan.

Sir Idiot was first in line and thought that as such, he could pick what seats he wanted for the show he was wanting to attend (not the WWE one luckily). Here goes:

SI: I want *names exact seat location*
TMC: I'm sorry, I can only do first available.
SI: I am first in line, I think I should be able to get to pick my seats.
TMC: I'm sorry sir, with multiple shows starting to go on sale, we can only do "best available" for seats.
SI: That's ridiculous.

This went on for a couple more rounds.

FWF: (to me) That guy better understand that if I don't get tickets because of him, I AM going to be mad.
Me: *chuckles*
IWM: Just take "best available". We want our tickets.
SI: (to all of us) Do you want me to take best available?
IWM: (in unison) YES!
SI: (to clerk, meekly) best available.
TMC: Ok sir, here are your tickets.
SI: *hightails it*

The rest of the time goes by without a hitch. All of the wrestling fans get their tickets and we go on our merry way. I know it was for a show in Peoria, I just don't remember which one. :-p

[Crazeyal]

Meh..

It's never the sales clerk fault, but I could NEVER figure out where the good seats went. I even had an online interview with the NY Ticketmaster press rep. *HE* couldn't tell me who, why, or where the front row seats went to.

[marasbaras]

That does kinda suck that you can't pick your seats.

[Crazeyal]

ESPECIALLY if you stand in line, MISSING AN ONGOING EVENT, and the good seats are simply "not available"...

GRRR

Not that it's any fault of the POOR ticket clerk, who gets the brunt of the anger.. but GRRRR

[powerboy]

I hate that, when the local arena ticket stand opens up before the ticket master's time. Especially if that arena ticket stand is suppose to open at a later time.

TicketMaster Time - 10am
Lacal arena Ticket Stand - 11am, but they open at 9am to sell that events tickets; that they were not suppose to have. Only TicketMaster was suppose too.

[The Gatekeeper]

Oh that brings back memories. I did 4 years with Tickemaster onsales. I worked in a record store, that had an outlet. Sir Idiot was lucky I wasn't running the onsale. He likely would have got nothing.

Regarding front row seats. Ticketmaster sells what it gets. The front row seats go to the record company and sponsors. Not, as we were accused of daily, to Ticketmaster employees, UNLESS Ticketmaster was also sponsoring the event. Even then it was never the clerk that got the tickets. Another little fact. It was against the rules for Ticketmaster employees to pull tickets for themselves as first in line. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but I worked with TM management many times to investigate my employees, and other stores when it was thought that it might have happened. If we could prove it, the employees were fired immediately.

Damn I thought I'd put all that behind me. I buy my tickets through TM online now anyway.

[MystyGlyttyr]

Most of the best tickets go through online sales. Plus there's always a lot of "comp" tickets that are given out by the show to local radio stations, companies, etc., to be given away in contests, or to the media or local bigwigs as wheel grease. Plus any local family members of people involved get free tickets from their friends and family IN the actual show. At least that's how it goes for most wrestling shows I've been involved in. I'm sure that other things are the same.

[GolfCart34]

The only time I can remember going to a Ticketmaster outlet and actually being able to pick almost exactly where my seats were was when I went to see the Boston Pops at the Whittemore Center Arena. I actually went to the venue to buy the tickets and they pointed out exactly what was and wasn't available. Other than that I usually pick best available seats and work from there. Sometimes I don't like what best available is offering so I opt for cheaper seats. That worked out great when my bf and I went to see a WWE pay per view in December of 2006.

I just feel darn lucky to be able to go to any sort of live event such as WWE or a concert (or especially Red Sox games at good ole' Fenway Park). I'm broke most of the time so going to live events is a huge treat. Sir Idiot might have had a better go of it trying to buy specific seats off of a site like Ebay.

[CancelMyService]

Ticketmaster is such a gigantic scam, two $25 tickets for the WWE PPV show in December ended ip costing over $75 after the hilariously bullshit fees they charge for putting your tickets in an envelope and mailing them.

[GolfCart34]

Ticketmaster is such a gigantic scam, two $25 tickets for the WWE PPV show in December ended ip costing over $75 after the hilariously bullshit fees they charge for putting your tickets in an envelope and mailing them.

Haha, I totally hear that. Last year when we went to WWE we got 2 $35 tickets for the PPV. Now to the normal person, 35 + 35 = 70. After all was said and done we ended up paying close to, if not over $90 with all the convenience charges they tack on. Seriously, why can't they just print the damn tickets and charge you a few bucks for shipping? $20+ in service charges for a pair of $20 or $30 tickets is rather ridiculous.

[CancelMyService]

What I don't get is how they constantly get away with it. They have a monopoly on all the major venues in every city and town, so if an artist/group has an issue with TM gouging people they end up perfoming at state fairs since they get boxed out of every arena in the country.

[daleduke17]

What I don't get is how they constantly get away with it. They have a monopoly on all the major venues in every city and town, so if an artist/group has an issue with TM gouging people they end up perfoming at state fairs since they get boxed out of every arena in the country.

Plus I think a lot of the major acts exclusively use Ticketmaster as well. From watching Monday Night Raw (WWE), I don't see many different agencies. A lot the upcoming shows are tagged with "Go to ticketmaster.com or a Ticketmaster outlet" (or something similar).

[Rapscallion]

I suspect that TM gives them very favourable terms for a captive audience.

Rapscallion

[Igorina]

I suspect that TM gives them very favourable terms for a captive audience.

Rapscallion

I have this image of TicketMaster being a front for a group of Mad Scientists conducting large scale human behaviour tests...

[ana1409]

dont buy from tm

If you complain so much about the fees no one is forcing you to buy from TM just miss out on the event. If you were not informed of the fees you can avoid them by buying the tickets from the box office. (you willl get better seats from trained agents) I understand that by getting tickets through ticketfast you are wasting your ink and doing it on your own but remember you are also getting the tickets within an hour.TM has to earn a profit just like any other business and you have to pay for their services. FYI convenience charges and facility charges are not set they vary by the price of the ticket and what the venue charges. Overall if you dont want to pay the fees to have tickets guaranteed dont go to events!!! and tickets do SELL OUT that FAST!!!