"I did a google search to find the number to call this coming Friday at noon to purchase Elton John tickets for his September show. The Arena is showing prices of: $154, $79, $39.
(copied from their website).
"Lo and behold, during my search I found several sites already selling the same tickets that are “going on sale Friday at noon”. (There isn’t even a pre sale to season ticket holders). The secondary market is already selling tickets at a LOW starting price of: $184 with a high price of $1068!!
"Apparently the unwashed masses who want to buy the few tickets that may not have already been sold can stand in line for hours and hope that there may be tickets available or hang on a phone getting busy signals for untold hours.
"I won’t do either.
"I’d write a letter to the editor but we know that won’t see the light of day.
"Bob Grim"
The usual cast of Lehigh Valley insiders will be sure to get tickets. Just watch who they are. Are economic and political leaders will be front and center.
ReplyDeleteAs usual, in an article in this morning's excuse for a newspaper, John Moser documented the "highest" prices for LV concerts, completely missing the REAL story which should have focused on how many "ticket prices" announced by a venue are sold to the secondary market before the public even has a chance to buy them. The published prices are meaningless.
ReplyDeleteBlame Elton, you stooge. If you had a clue, you'd know that pretty much every musical act that tours sells pre-sale tickets to members of their clubs or mailing lists. You should have also copied this from Elton's website:
ReplyDeleteRocket Tickets and Behind The Piano Backstage Tour Packages for these dates will go on sale on Monday, April 4 at 10 am EDT on EltonJohn.com.
A Rocket Club membership will be necessary to purchase Rocket Tickets. If you are not already a Rocket Club member, please register for a free account here.
So, no, there is no vast conspiracy trying to keep whiners like you from the Elton John show.
As an avid concert goer, I can tell you that presale tickets for events like this are usually run through credit cards, fan clubs and the artist themselves. Season pass holders buy season passes for the Phantoms, not the venue. You can go online to Elton John's website and buy a "ticket package" right now. General sales to the public are always the last tickets put up for sale. And usually, those are great tickets - presale seats can often be bad seats (but not always). So, the best thing to do is to get ONLINE (not in person, not on the phone, but the internet via Ticketmaster) the very second those general sale tickets are released. This will sell out instantly, so prepare to be quick with your fingers and your credit card ready.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I was very surprised when I checked StubHub (my favorite 2nd hand ticket retailer - it's a very good reseller with excellent consumer protection) and saw so many EJ tickets for the PPL show. I have actually never seen an event with so many tickets for sale on StubHub (proportionally) before the general sale. This event will be a second and third hand ticket bonanza. I would highly advise people to ONLY BUY TICKETS from reputable sources. The scams will be easily had here, and it will be easy to be screwed. If you buy a ticket from someone on the street, make them go to the box office with you to check the ticket.
In other PPL Center news, I was there Sunday for the Monster Trucks, and Crust (the pizza joint attached to the arena) was CLOSED. They aren't open Sundays. Huh? They're not open on the day of an event? A family friendly pizza place is closed during the lunch break between the "Party in the Pit" and the show itself??? STUPID. I have heard rumors (just on blogs) about Crust's inevitable closure...is it true? I really like their pizza.
Dear Anonymous coward,
ReplyDeleteThe tickets I was referring to were not being sold on Elton John's site. They were on a secondary sales site. I've seen Elton John, so it's not that big a deal. You're missing the point, which is understandable.
Thank you Monkey Momma, you helped make my point. With so many tickets being sold on the secondary market, what percent are left for the average citizen? The published prices are reasonable, but a myth for most people. It would be nice for the someone to report the percent that are available for each show. Unfortunately there is no local news outlet that will inquire into these issues. Puff pieces about the "success" of downtown is all we get.
ReplyDeleteSo it sounds like most of the attendees at the Elton John show, and presumably most of the other 'big-name' shows, will be out-of-towners who are in the 'in crowd' of concert goers? Looks like we'll see lots of NY, NJ and DE plates in the parking lot...and the Lehigh Valley locals will be searching online for tickets to the arena THEY are paying for.
ReplyDeleteSeason ticket holders were told at time of purchase they would have access to presales. That was the case for every event up until this point. The tune has changed last week when season ticket holders were told only Club Seats were eligible for the Elton John presale. Seems the Phantoms organization values a one year Club Seat ticket holder over multi-year season ticket holders. Let's see if the Morning Call covers this. Save the carnival fellas. Treat your loyal patrons with Respect. Wonder how many tickets ANIZDA/Allentown is eligible for theit VIP box. Pretty sure thenough shared box was reported as part of the arena deal.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteYeh. We saw that article. We all laughed because just in the past 8 months there have been plenty of events that went for far more than what that article said. There is so much of this baloney in the LV anymore. Can't trust the press, the politicians...etc. That Allentown boondogle where they have the apartments along the river. What a joke. You step one foot out of that spot and you're in a rough part of town. The news only zooms in on the new stuff. Kinda like when the libs have their demonstrations...the media zooms in on all 5 of them.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the point of having an arena if locals can't benefit from it? We don't get first preference for tickets to it's events. The city doesn't get naming rights. We don't get property taxes. Why the hell build it in the first pace if we get nothing from it except the headaches of parking and the policing of it?
ReplyDeleteI'm sure if you look on ebay you'll find tickets.
ReplyDeleteSeems to me there is no mention of a 40cal glock being unloaded not even a half block away from the backside of the areana, butt thats local edited out news media releases¿¡ I have pics if there are any takers out there that would care to publish this tidbit of information ommited by the advertisementalists¿¡ You go bernie this too could be like the bottle o snake oil, todays energy drink of the arena agenda downtown¿¡ Will it be one of fed eds party favor consessionair campaign contribitors thugs that give you this to partake of too¿¡
ReplyDeleteredd registered Republican
patent pending
The secondary ticket business is the way that is. This is a reality that people by now should be aware of. I worked on it. Nothing like listening or viewing comments from disgruntled archaic hawk listeners. You are out of touch, and I am going to Montana. Stick it!!!!!
ReplyDeletePre-sale for "certain" events is the exact language on the Phantoms page.
ReplyDeleteThat said, there is no demonstrable benefit to any city that has an arena. At least, not that I've ever seen. One visit to Newark is all I need to see hockey and an arena cannot turn a shithole into a diamond.