Time for a new fan club pre-sale system?

[edhead]

So, the "fan club" pre-sale.......and 3 hours later there are 150+ "fan club presale tickets" on stubhub......so do you think they went to real fans???

Look, I have nothing against stubhub or other resale services, i have both bought and sold on them many times and will continue to, they provide a valuable service.  But perhaps there is a better way to get the good seats into the hands of real fans (like me of course)

In the model of U2, Tom Petty, etc (yes I realize a much different scale) perhaps you could offer a "premium" fan club membership,  $25.00 a year or so,  that would grant you access to pre-sale tickets for premium members before the other free members.  To take it even a step better, long term members get access before people who join up after the show has been announced. I am not sure, but I hear Pearl jam takes it even a step further by keeping track of how long you have been a member and granting earliest access to those with the longest memberships.  Ticket limits of course (4 per show would be good) and will call. Maybe for your $25.00 or more you get exclusive videos or something like that.

The VIP seat thing was pretty good, hopefully that will come back, but I have 9 briefcases in storage, a few more in use and have given away quite a few.  I have more than a dozen of the prints of the painting, and more lanyards than that.  (BTW do away with the lanyards, they are useless.  A commemorative ticket is better). What us fans really want is an up close seat to our favorite songwriter. We want The Real Life, cuz Minutes turn To Memories, and memories of great shows keep us going.
 
Sharon, Tony, thanks for all you already do, and maybe this is not feasible with your budget constraints (of both time and money). It seems to me the fan club site does not get as many eyeballs as I wish it did, so maybe it's not possible.  But when "fan club" tickets are on stubhub the same day it is not "real fan" purchasers, right?

Ok well besides all that, see you in Allentown, and maybe some other venues (pending announcements) and much thanks to JM and the band being out there playing for us!  Makes my year!!!     

[TonyBClubManager]

So, the "fan club" pre-sale.......and 3 hours later there are 150+ "fan club presale tickets" on stubhub......so do you think they went to real fans???

Look, I have nothing against stubhub or other resale services, i have both bought and sold on them many times and will continue to, they provide a valuable service.  But perhaps there is a better way to get the good seats into the hands of real fans (like me of course)

In the model of U2, Tom Petty, etc (yes I realize a much different scale) perhaps you could offer a "premium" fan club membership,  $25.00 a year or so,  that would grant you access to pre-sale tickets for premium members before the other free members.  To take it even a step better, long term members get access before people who join up after the show has been announced. I am not sure, but I hear Pearl jam takes it even a step further by keeping track of how long you have been a member and granting earliest access to those with the longest memberships.  Ticket limits of course (4 per show would be good) and will call. Maybe for your $25.00 or more you get exclusive videos or something like that.

The VIP seat thing was pretty good, hopefully that will come back, but I have 9 briefcases in storage, a few more in use and have given away quite a few.  I have more than a dozen of the prints of the painting, and more lanyards than that.  (BTW do away with the lanyards, they are useless.  A commemorative ticket is better). What us fans really want is an up close seat to our favorite songwriter. We want The Real Life, cuz Minutes turn To Memories, and memories of great shows keep us going.
 
Sharon, Tony, thanks for all you already do, and maybe this is not feasible with your budget constraints (of both time and money). It seems to me the fan club site does not get as many eyeballs as I wish it did, so maybe it's not possible.  But when "fan club" tickets are on stubhub the same day it is not "real fan" purchasers, right?

Ok well besides all that, see you in Allentown, and maybe some other venues (pending announcements) and much thanks to JM and the band being out there playing for us!  Makes my year!!!     

Thank you Ed for your feedback.

As you may be aware John's did have a paid fan club until about 2008 and tickets were only for paid members. There were options, after the existing members had a window to get tickets, that new members could join the club and get tickets through the presale.

John's management ultimately decided against continuing the fan club so we we went to a free members only pre-sale. We work hard to keep the passwords secret and reveal them only right before the pre-sale.

Are there tickets bought by scalpers using our password, yes, we know there are. However we don't feel it's horrific.

Tickets are going to show up on ticket brokers for a wide variety of reasons that don't involve our presales. Season ticket holders, personal seat license owners etc.

[WWWBUKTN]

What you could do is have two presales.   One for people who used to pay money for the fanclub and then those who never did.

You're right about every other reason other than your presale that people have access to tickets.  Crazy world. 

Thanks for coming to Milwaukee and on a Fish Fry Friday to boot.   Can't wait!

[edhead]

Thanks for the thoughtful reply Tony! Yes I do remember now that you reminded me (I go back to ClubCherryBomb days)   Can't fault management for not wanting to get more money from fans can we.  I am OK with the VIP setup (mainly because I can afford it and am quite willing to) and I know fans on a limited budget do not feel the same, but if you don't charge a premium for the best seats the resale market will, and the i would rather see the money go to JM than resale outlets.  It kind of works because at premium cost there is not a lot of room for profit as the demand is not there.

I did manage to get the seats I wanted for Philly, so I am a happy boy now!!   Much thanks to Pete Seeger who told John to "just keep it going"......so glad he continues to tour...(though my wife does not like the effect it has on our bank account    )

[Swell67]

So, the "fan club" pre-sale.......and 3 hours later there are 150+ "fan club presale tickets" on stubhub......so do you think they went to real fans???.....  

We have the same issue with tickets in Australia - they all end up on ebay or resale on ticketmaster Australia - sometimes3x the original price!