Although I tend to discourage chain emails, I think I have a cause for
which it is worthwhile and for which it would perhaps be effective. Although
some might feel that this issue is relatively unimportant when compared to
larger injustices in the world, I felt that this was an issue that was
practical and manageable for an individual such as myself to take on. I
felt that the communication resources available to me on the net and the web
can make this possible. I urge you to take the time to read and consider
what I have to say, and to also visit my related website I have set up at
www.fantasyland.com/ticketbastard. Also please send your comments and
suggestions to ticketbastard@fantasyland.com. Please pass this email on to
others who you feel may find this of interest.
What I am writing to you about is Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster is
essentially the only automated ticketing services company, selling over
60 million tickets a year through approximately 2,900 retail ticket outlets,
25 nationwide telephone call centers and Ticketmaster's Internet site.
Ticketmaster is a monopoly with a stranglehold on the live entertainment
industry in America. As a result, customer service is relatively
non-existent and pricing is out of bounds compared to other industries in
which healthy competition exists. Concertgoers, performers and producers
all are forced to suffer unto the bloated pig that is Ticketmaster
and fall in line with the inflexible system they have single-handedly
imposed on the concert industry. Things get done their way or no way.
Although I have been a concertgoer for years now, and have long been
accustomed to the unfriendly treatment typical of the concert industry
thanks to Ticketmaster and their participating venues, I recently had the
pleasure to experience their disservice in a big way. I had ordered tickets
for the November 15th Chemical Bros. show at the Hammerstein Ballroom in
Manhattan Center in New York City. After spending $124 in admission and
surcharges for myself and three friends and driving three hours in a
noreaster to ensure that I was present, I was delighted to find that I had
not been granted admission to a ballroom, but had been arbitrarily designated
tickets to the Mezzanine (balcony) section. Contrary to the information given
to me by the Ticketmaster sales agent, there were actually two different
types of tickets for this event, and it was deemed that my friends and I
should sit in balcony seats and watch the Chemical Bros. push buttons from
afar. My friends and I did not stay for this fiasco.
Needless to say, after submitting a detailed letter of grievance, I was
refused a refund of my money and was denied any type of redress whatsoever.
In any other industry, a comparable situation would be swiftly and cheerfully
rectified. But this is not true for Ticketmaster, as neither concertgoers,
producers or performers are able to take their business elsewhere, in the
arena of ticket distribution. I myself am employed by a service provider and
I do customer support over telephone. Unlike Ticketmaster, the company I work
for has policies that emphasize customer satisfaction and I must take all
steps as a phone representative to satisfy any grievances customers may have.
Why is this? Because if we do not render services as offered and ultimately
do not satisfy our customers, they will undoubtedly patronize one of our many
local competitors. But the lone-gun, Ticketmaster, can essentially flip the
bird to ticket buyers who have wasted their precious dollars on excruciating
situations such as the one I experienced.
My intention is not a call to action. Rather I hope that in sharing with you
my experience, as well as general information about Ticketmaster's unjust
practices, you can make a judgement and act in whatever way you feel to be
appropriate. I myself will no longer be going to Ticketmaster events; the
same holds true for my friends who attended with me. I will now be content
to listen to CDs and I will perhaps only attend future concerts when I am
able to purchase tickets directly from the venue. This I will consider very
carefully, however, considering Manhattan Center's role in the aforementioned
situation. In putting up this web page, I am also looking to hear from
people who have had similar experiences or those who have suggestions
regarding my continuing quest for satisfaction. Please pass on the word..
Thanks... -fongaboo
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| http://www.fantasyland.com/ticketbastard / ticketbastard@fantasyland.com |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+++++++
++#@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@#+
+#@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@#+
+#@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@#
+#@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@#
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++@@@@@@@@@#
+ +++@@@@@@@@@@@@
++#@@@@@@@@@@@@@@+
@@@@@@@@@@@@@+ #@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@@@+ +#@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@@@+ ++@@@@#++++++++++++++++++++++++++#@
@@@@@@@@@+ ++@@@@# ++
@@@@@@@@ ++@@@@# #@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@#+ ++
+@@@@@@@ +#@@@@# #@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@# +#@
+#@@@@@ +#@@@@# +++#@@
++@@@@ +#@@@@# ++++++++++++++++++ +++@@@
++#@+ +#@@@@ #@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@+ ++@@@@
+ + +#@@@@ #@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@# +#@@@@@
++@@@@@ ++#@@@@#+
++@@@@@ #@@@@@@@+
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@+
++++#@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@+
+++++#@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@#+
++++++#@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@#+
++++++#@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@#+
++++++++#@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@++
+++++++++++++++++