Have you noticed the latest trend...trying to getting people to spend even MORE money on concert tickets? It's the Internet pre-sale which allows you to buy tickets, usually good ones, before they go on sale to the general public. This usually involves paying a fee to join a club/program that then gives you a password to use on a Ticketmaster or other ticket site.
I have mixed feelings about it. Part of me thinks it is a total scam to milk more money out of people for already overpriced tickets. The other part does not have an issue with paying for NOT having to camp out outside a department store, speed-dial, or have heart palpitations waiting to see if a web page will spit out something other than "no seats found."
For the Dixie Chicks, I went ahead and paid $40 annual fee to join their official Yahoo Fan club. I really could not care less about the exclusive news or videos on the site, but ended up with 3rd row seats thanks to the pre-sale. I think they were $65/seat tickets...so $85 each for unbelieveably great seats was definitely worth it.
For Celine Dion's Vegas show, I decided not to join "Team Celine." Again, a $40 annual fee to the "club" would allow me to purchase tickets in sections set aside for members. But it takes up to 2 weeks for Ticketmaster to get members into their system. I knew my desired date was going on sale soon, so I did not want to take the chance of not being in the system. Likewise, I heard that the Colisseum did not have "a bad seat." So even without being a member of the team -- and three Ben Franklins later - still had good seats.
This past week I got an email pre-sale offer for Shania Twain...and best of all it was no-strings-attached. The fine print said I was being afforded the opportunity since I purchased tickets in the past 2 years for a show at America West Arena (the Dixie Chicks??). I heard Shania was coming in December, while I like her...I didn't feel any strong "have to see her!" feelings. But here was this offer just tempting me. What the heck... $80/seat later (plus $8/ea "convenience" charge plus $3/ea facility charge, don't you just love that!) we had our seats. I probably would not have got tickets at all, but the lure of "pre-sale" was just too much.
Now the latest. Bette Midler is coming to town next February. I have seen the Divine Miss M once already and it was right up there on the all-time entertaining concert list...so getting tix is a definite no-brainer. Tickets go on sale in 2 weeks, but in my research I stumbled across yet another pre-sale offer. For a $60 annual fee I can join Clear Channel Communications' (the biggest concert promoter in Phoenix) "getAccess" program and buy tickets early. Do I think I will have any problems getting decent tix when they go on-sale to the public? No, but still I have this desire to not worry about it. The $60 seems a little steep, but if I am able to get even one more pre-sale in the next year I think it would be worth it (despite what it seems I really do not go to that many concerts a year, maybe 2 or 3 max).
So does it make sense to spend extra for entertainment "peace of mind" or am I just being a sucker?!
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