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poor ticket sales


pony2112

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It's partly inflated ticket prices and mostly just the fact that it's repeat dates without anything to distinguish these shows from last year. When they first discussed 2008 shows, it was rumored to be 30 shows and to be in different markets. Somehow that turned into 45 shows at many of the same venues. Rush doesn't have that kind of drawing power anymore (as we saw in 2002 at the end of the vapor trails tour) - at least not without some type of different marketing approach. I'm not quite sure what the promoters were thinking here...casual fans will have just seen them a few months ago and diehards remain skeptical that the show will be very much different from the one they saw last summer (and even then they've now abandoned any hope of nightly changes during the tour). Combine that with a 20-30% increase in ticket prices, and no real marketing draw and it's a baffling combination. I think you're going to see a lot of shows with 5k-7k people this summer instead of the 10-12k you saw last summer.
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I think it's a combination of price (My tix face value $154 each), economy (thanx in large part to our fearless leader), and timing.

 

The money didn't stop me, but some of my more casual friends who I went with on the last leg backed out this time around.

 

I hope this doesn't zap any enthusiasm from there performances.

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I think it's smart business raising the prices like they did. Second leg will bring less ticket buyers (see reasons in above posts), so it only makes sense to raise the fees. Assume 70% of previous sales, so raise price 40% to make up for it. Hope for 85% sell by show time and make more money. February is the worst month of the year for sales, as Taxes are coming due. I think if they completely changed the lineup they would sell out like last year. And if the worst case presents itself (They announce a final tour), everything sells.

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QUOTE (Score Out @ Feb 14 2008, 12:35 AM)
It's partly inflated ticket prices and mostly just the fact that it's repeat dates without anything to distinguish these shows from last year. When they first discussed 2008 shows, it was rumored to be 30 shows and to be in different markets. Somehow that turned into 45 shows at many of the same venues. Rush doesn't have that kind of drawing power anymore (as we saw in 2002 at the end of the vapor trails tour) - at least not without some type of different marketing approach. I'm not quite sure what the promoters were thinking here...casual fans will have just seen them a few months ago and diehards remain skeptical that the show will be very much different from the one they saw last summer (and even then they've now abandoned any hope of nightly changes during the tour). Combine that with a 20-30% increase in ticket prices, and no real marketing draw and it's a baffling combination. I think you're going to see a lot of shows with 5k-7k people this summer instead of the 10-12k you saw last summer.

goodpost.gif Sad but true.

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I was there at the end of the Vapor Trails tour when they played the Continental Arena in NJ to a half empty house. I was really bummed to see so many empty seats, but it was a great show anyway. Last September, it seemed like the tickets to MSG weren't selling very well, but the place was pretty well packed and the crowd was great.

 

I've been checking the seats at the PNC, and there are only terrace seats left, but Atlantic City seems to not be selling at all as of yet. There are tons of floor seats available. I would go, but I already bought tickets for another show and spent way too much already.

 

Let's face it, with all of the bad news on the economy, the news media talking about recession constantly, and the $3.00 per gallon gas prices, people may not be willing to spend the extra money right now. All of the hardcores have bought their tickets by now, so hopefully some of the casual fans will trickle in later once the weather warms up and people start thinking about getting out of the house.

 

Right now, most of the country is dealing with snow storms, tornados, record cold temperatures, and trying to heat their homes and keep them in one piece. They're not thinking about Rush concerts.

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I want to go so badly but I can't really fit it into my budget right now. I am sure I could make some cuts elsewhere budget wise but I am not going to do that for a very similar set list, no matter how much I love a band... I am not going to pay MORE to see a similar set list again. We shall see after the list is released.
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QUOTE (dethroned emperor @ Feb 14 2008, 12:28 AM)
QUOTE (PuppetKing2112 @ Feb 14 2008, 12:14 AM)
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that even though they just played many of these same places last summer, the tickets got more expensive this time.

i couldnt agree more.

Yes. Myself, if they weren't going to tour near me, I wouldn't probably go, but luckily they are.

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QUOTE (pony2112 @ Feb 13 2008, 11:29 PM)
i have seen this talked about on other forums, but, has anyone checked ticketmaster? mercy, most of these shows are selling at a very sad rate, compared to their other tours.

I got mine about 30 minutes after they went on sale, and a huge chunk of the closer seats were already taken. Don't worry, by show time they'll all be sold, at least for the New England shows (RUSH is big here).

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QUOTE (iluvgeddy05 @ Feb 14 2008, 08:57 AM)
Also, I feel as the first leg of a Rush tour is going to bring out both casual and die-hard Rush fans...but a second leg is only going to bring the die-hards.

..Which is why ideas like them playing The Camera Eye or Hemispheres shouldn't be crazy ones wink.gif

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QUOTE (pony2112 @ Feb 13 2008, 11:29 PM)
i have seen this talked about on other forums, but, has anyone checked ticketmaster? mercy, most of these shows are selling at a very sad rate, compared to their other tours.

So why can't I get good seats?

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QUOTE (Del_Duio @ Feb 14 2008, 08:55 AM)
Don't worry, by show time they'll all be sold, at least for the New England shows (RUSH is big here).

Really? Maybe it's just my neck of the woods. I know there are a few fans in various parts of New England, but I can't even name one other fan near me. sad.gif

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QUOTE (Score Out @ Feb 14 2008, 12:35 AM)
It's partly inflated ticket prices and mostly just the fact that it's repeat dates without anything to distinguish these shows from last year.  When they first discussed 2008 shows, it was rumored to be 30 shows and to be in different markets.  Somehow that turned into 45 shows at many of the same venues.  Rush doesn't have that kind of drawing power anymore (as we saw in 2002 at the end of the vapor trails tour) - at least not without some type of different marketing approach.  I'm not quite sure what the promoters were thinking here...casual fans will have just seen them a few months ago and diehards remain skeptical that the show will be very much different from the one they saw last summer (and even then they've now abandoned any hope of nightly changes during the tour).  Combine that with a 20-30% increase in ticket prices, and no real marketing draw and it's a baffling combination.  I think you're going to see a lot of shows with 5k-7k people this summer instead of the 10-12k you saw last summer.

With any luck they will cancel the poorly sold shows and come over to Europe (and other parts of the world) where they are guaranteed good crowds, more enthusiastic reception, better beer, finer culture, proper football, etc.

 

bolt.gif

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QUOTE (hope70 @ Feb 14 2008, 11:46 AM)
I don't think about how the tickets are selling. Really don't care.
All I know is I'll be seeing them in the desert on 5/1. cool.gif

Phoenix,

 

I got my tickets from a Broker on E-bay, Yesterday.

 

After I Checked ticketmaster again

All top tier tickets are Gone ! Thats about 5000 seats

 

Some of the 59.00 seats are left ( about 3000 seats total )

 

& Grass @ 26.00 ( Grass hold 12,000 )

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