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This Friday Grizzly Bear fan Jay-Z is performing at the 9/11 charity concert at Madison Square Garden, but as expected, the scalpers are harshing the vibe. The Daily News reports that the rapper slammed the scalpers himself after the reasonably priced tickets (starting at $54.50) were being jacked up and sold online. He released a statement saying, "We are truly disheartened that certain individuals would choose to benefit from what is meant to be a 100% charitable event. We do not support any profits made from reselling any ticket that was meant to be purchased by honest fans." The proceeds go to widows and orphans of New York City cops and firefighters who died in the line of duty, which makes it's particularly disheartening to see tickets being sold for up to $45,000 (!) online. At this rate, scalpers will see more money than those who the event was meant to benefit. While not much can be done, Jay-Z has reportedly taken steps to "head off ticket brokers." Meanwhile, fans who missed out can watch the show broadcast live on Fuse... or as one fan suggested as an alternative form of entertainment, "go down there Friday and see who is getting these tickets."
Scalpers are Big Pimpin' Jay-Z Tickets
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I think when you buy concert tickets they should have the name of the buyer on the ticket so that you need to show ID once you go in - and not allowed outside or you forfeit your ticket.
NIN did it.
No Doubt did it
as well as many other bands/artists who are trying this method and I think it works - scalpers names on a ticket puts them shit outta luck. unless they buy more than one and force someone to go with them inside but not every scalper wants to go to these concerts.
just saying
That's what I was going to say before you beat me to it. While I understand that scalping for a 9/11 benefit is extra lame and uncool, Jay Z should not be surprised, rather he should just be disheartened. This is the way it's been forever, and even though most of us like online ticketing, the fact is that it creates the largest market possible for buying tickets. With the largest market possible comes the fact that there are even more scalpers and brokers than there used to be. As much as I get nostalgic about showing up 24 hours early to my local ticketmaster outlet to get a numbered bracelet that determined my spot in line the following day, no one wants to go back to that system and online is here to stay.
NiN did it, Yeah Yeah Yeahs just did it, and even though it's not completely scalper free, it's obviously better when you have a 2 ticket maximum and the buyer of the tickets has to be at the show.
Did the Yeah Yeah Yeahs do it for their Music Hall of Williamsburg show? That explains why nothing has been showing up on Stubhub. Whack!
Correct, they didn't do it for Radio City, just MHOW
Also - there is no reason why big shows can't operate like the NIN show did. No tickets - the person who purchased the ticket provides the credit card used to buy the tickets, with ID - and has their party present.
It takes some of the guys at MSG 5 minutes to scan the freakin barcode on the paper ticket.
very simple.. register who the tickets are for at purchase and present id at the gate, name change online up to an hour before the event. poof no more scalpers.
where's my check?
Yeah, but then you have all those BlackBerries and iPhones that would allow a scalper to change the name as soon as he/she scalps the tickets... and people who have actual tickets, not computer print outs... how do they change the name?
Yours is not a perfect system, but certainly would help.
Pearl Jam started the ID thing a looong time ago.
Trent Reznor had a great article about ticket scalping. he said that the artists know, and they also profit from it. Don't let these cries fool you. The "artists" sell it to the scalpers at higher than face value.
http://www.spinner.com/2009/09/01/van-halen-accused-of-ticketmaster-scalping-scheme/
I don't mind it. Hell, the true value of a ticket is what someone is willing to pay, right? Capitalism?
Well, just don't spew BS at us that you're angry over these exorbitant prices. Or that you're an artist who doesn't want to screw your fans!
Good find, jm1975.
It's not capitalism - scalpers raise demand by lowering supply. 45k for a ticket? BS.
Jay Z is just pissed there is a good possibility there will be a bunch of empty seats.
Scalping is not illegal in NY State. So until it is no laws are being broken
People like you are so fucking annoying. You're probably the type that would say "violence is never the answer" or "you should call the [overburderend] police" for every minor thing instead of resolving the issue yourself.
Laws are contrivances made up by powerful people to control the behavior of the masses using the power of the state. Something prohibited is not necessarily "bad" nor is something not prohibited "not bad".
Your argument makes slavery okay 200 years ago because it was not illegal. You POS.
funny that tonight's (free) show would have a decent scheme to head off scalpers (be one of the first 200 on the line, present an email (who knows why?) and id, then have your ticket attached to your wrist (at the door your id must match your wristband) ) but this one couldn't.
the people profiting from this are fucking scum, without exception.