Eagles Ticket Prices

[DonFan]

Bob Lefsetz wrote a column about Irving's new deal, and after Irving called to talk to him in detail about it, Bob wrote a companion column. Here is an excerpt:
******************

"Does Irving want to deliver music with tickets? OF COURSE! Does he insist on album-length opuses? NO! Does he believe ticket prices need to come down? ABSOLUTELY! He's not going to militate, not going to insist it be his way, but wants to sit down with all the players and come to agreements. And, if there is no consensus, he believes business can continue to function the way it always has. Not that he wants it that way.

As for Front Line... He wants to continue to sign new managers and their acts. The company is already making money, so this is not a fantasy build-out. And, he claims he is interested in breaking new artists. What about the present Ticketmaster infrastructure? Is it up to the task? Is there any dead wood? How the hell does he know, he hasn't gotten inside the building yet!

It's the irreverence that charms you. And Irving is charming. This is not a man who hates the fans. This is a man who got rid of fan clubs because it pissed consumers off. Went to the upscale package deal instead. He once told me to cruise the boards, find someone pissed that they paid $250 to get a good seat, a laminate and a chance to go backstage and meet the band. I couldn't find a complainer. People were THRILLED! Because that's what fans want, good seats and access!

And Irving wants to deliver it to them. New products sold with new technology. And he wants to have a lot of fun. He's already having fun. You remember fun, don't you? When you lived to go to the gig, felt privileged to work in this business, when music was the most happening art form, when you needed to listen to the record to know which way the wind blew? Those days are coming back. If Irving has his way.

He says it's a new Irving. Forget the past. Do I believe him? Do you believe him? We can debate that. But one thing we can't debate is Irving is the act's number one champion. No one has done more for acts than Irving Azoff.
*****************************

A couple of quotes stand out immediately to me:

"Does he believe ticket prices need to come down? ABSOLUTELY!"

EAGLES ticket prices?

"He once told me to cruise the boards, find someone pissed that they paid $250 to get a good seat, a laminate and a chance to go backstage and meet the band. I couldn't find a complainer. People were THRILLED! Because that's what fans want, good seats and access!"

Backstage access to the EAGLES?

Granted, the Eagles are the "Holy Grail" of Irving's stable of performers, but come on! It seems to me that Irving has one set of rules for the Eagles and another set of rules for everyone else.

[Brooke]

I agree, DF.

Btw, when was the last time someone went backstage with The Eagles? (Ok, hold up your 3E buttons ladies!)

Seriously though, the VIP could include a visit from ONE of them for the price they ask.

[DonFan]

Btw, when was the last time someone went backstage with The Eagles? (Ok, hold up your 3E buttons ladies!)

Seriously though, the VIP could include a visit from ONE of them for the price they ask.

True. And of course, when Don tours solo they sell tickets offering backstage M&Gs, and I am thankful for that.

[Freypower]

Unfortunately it seems to me that three of the members of the Eagles could possibly be persuaded to do backstage stuff with fans. One of them, however, won't. And if he won't, that means the rest of them can't. I make no further comment.

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Unfortunately it seems to me that three of the members of the Eagles could possibly be persuaded to do backstage stuff with fans. One of them, however, won't. And if he won't, that means the rest of them can't. I make no further comment.

I'm not sure I understand why one Eagle not doing M&G's would stop the others. Obviously, you couldn't do an 'Eagles' M&G with all four if this were the case, but any of the individual band members could certainly do them. I think this happens now occasionally.

However, it will be VERY interesting to see how Irving becoming Ticketmaster CEO turns out, and what the impact will be on ILAA. It seems to me that ILAA has recently been competing with Ticketmaster for the prime tickets, so I would bet there will be some changes to ILAA as we know it.

[sodascouts]

I wonder if we'll see any improvement in Ticketmaster's practices now? I'd hate to have the frustration and ill will I feel when dealing with Ticketmaster spill over onto Irving Azoff!

"Does he believe ticket prices need to come down? ABSOLUTELY!"

EAGLES ticket prices?

"He once told me to cruise the boards, find someone pissed that they paid $250 to get a good seat, a laminate and a chance to go backstage and meet the band. I couldn't find a complainer. People were THRILLED! Because that's what fans want, good seats and access!"

Backstage access to the EAGLES?

Granted, the Eagles are the "Holy Grail" of Irving's stable of performers, but come on! It seems to me that Irving has one set of rules for the Eagles and another set of rules for everyone else.

AMEN, DF. I thought these very same things.

Also, the "fan clubs piss people off" bit - only POORLY RUN fan clubs piss people off. Perhaps that's the kind Irving's used to.

Lefsetz wouldn't have to cruise too many boards to find dissatisfaction with ILAA... but then again when folks pay $800 and the only backstage access they get is an alternate entrance to the room with the buffet...

Lefsetz's piece sounds like a big ad for Irving. Unsurprising.

[DonFan]

Here is today's latest column from Lefsetz on Irving:

As go the Eagles, so goes the business.
The Eagles charged sky high ticket prices for an in-demand event, their first reunion tour, after hell unfroze.
Other acts followed suit. Unfortunately, many without the status and cachet of the Eagles.
The Eagles sold fan club memberships with the right to buy good seats.
Every superstar act seems to still be doing this, other than those managed by Irving.
Because Irving realized this created fan unhappiness, and therefore he invented the premium ticket. A lot of bucks for a great seat, a laminate and access. You might think these are a rip-off, but the people who buy them LOVE THEM! Rather than dealing with a broker or a shady reseller, they're going straight to the act and getting more and paying less.
Now Irving is removing Ticketmaster fees from Eagles dates... Trickle down might not work in the economy at large, but it certainly does in the music business. What the stars do first, the mid-level acts, the wannabes, do next.
The problem with ticket fees is as much the unknown as the final price. You're thinking of going to the show and you have no idea what it's going to cost you. It's like going to buy a car and finding out there's a 15 to 100% premium, after you think you've made a deal. You definitely want the car. But you feel raped, and your anger does not inure you to the dealership, you tell everybody you know not to go there. You storm out of the showroom. You buy the car somewhere else at close to the same price, but you dread ever buying an automobile again. Which is why many people buy cars online today. My nephew is a Lexus salesman. He rarely gets any dumb customers. Everybody does research. They know comparable prices before they get to him.
The fan knows he's being screwed. But nobody in this business seems to care about this.
Michael Rapino says he does, but his ticketing operation hasn't gone live yet. And we don't know if it will work. And if all the tickets he sells will be sans fee or not.
Irving just stole Rapino's thunder.
I don't give a shit if there's a kickback to the act, the promoter or the star's girlfriend. Just give me a final price. When I buy a candy bar, I don't have to pay a kickback to the cocoa grower, and the retailer's profit is built in.
You might claim that so many industries have add-on fees today. I'll ask you to find someone who likes ANY airline. But you're forced to make a choice or stay home. An act has to entice its audience, has to treat it nicely. The heat doesn't last forever.
The labels are at war with their customers. Promoters and acts blame it all on Ticketmaster and the fan gets fucked. This is a reasonable business model?
Don't underestimate Irving. What he's built with Front Line and now Ticketmaster Entertainment is leverage. He now does it HIS way. He doesn't have to worry about the label, only the act. He can effect change. It's his world and the rest of us just live in it.

[sodascouts]

No Ticketmaster fees on Eagles tickets - wow! Perhaps I've been too cynical when assuming Irving would do whatever he could to squeeze the most money possible out of Eagles fans. I give him props for this!

One complaint: I wish Lefsetz would admit that not everyone who's bought ILAA absolutely LOVES paying $800 bucks for great seats, dinner, a laminate, and a bag of useless crap. Since Lefsetz has his lips permanently attached to Irving's hindquarters, however, I doubt we'll hear anything negative about anything he does.... except for maybe some softball criticism like when he complained about the Eagles having "myspace/eaglesmusic" instead of "myspace/eagles" as their MySpace URL. Um, yeah, BIG issue there.

[DonFan]

One complaint: I wish Lefsetz would admit that not everyone who's bought ILAA absolutely LOVES paying $800 bucks for great seats, dinner, a laminate, and a bag of useless crap.

Maybe we should enlighten him, Soda!

[sodascouts]

I've thought about it, but honestly... not sure I want to take the chance of it getting back to Azoff that the girl from GlennFreyOnline.com is making noise! Of course, one would hope he wouldn't have a problem with the expression of free speech...