With all these extra tickets becoming available again and again. The scalpers are losing out (On Ebay anyway).

Just witnessed 2 tickets for lower tier sell for £14.25 (including postage).

Tickets are now becoming hard to sell for the scalps.

SpitfireMk9 said:

My guess is they have realised Prince has nowhere near "sold out" as claimed.....

scalpers lost out in vegas too due to the fact that few of those shows sold out contrary to what AEG told us

I think the pro scalpers made their money already buying early and selling early. All those "sold out" announcements help them as fans start to scramble for tickets.

What you're probably seeing now as the amateurs or people with too many tickets (and I've got a few I'd like to sell myself) trying to sell before it's too late.

If the promoters were more honest with how tickets are sold and made available then scalpers would have a more difficult time making the money they do and fans would have a better chance of buying the right ticket inthe first place.

What I don't get where the floor seats actually came from? There have been seats for sale in good floor blocks for some time via ebay "professional" ticket sellers. Yet, these are not the auction ones, they are not VIP as those weren't allocated until today, and mostly still are not, and they weren't available via TM during presale or general sale, yet they have them, so either they are lying or they have special access to them? Perhaps they're supposed to sell them face value but instead just auction them knowing they'll make tons more?

SpitfireMk9 said:

Can u remember what date they were for, I know the Friday & Saturday dates are the most popular and tend to sell for more on ebay

For example (one of many on Ebay), there is a ticket "agent" selling Block D1 [one of the best blocks on the floor] Row A for Sat 25th. they have loads of others as well and for different nights as well charging £450 per ticket!!!

How did they get these? Not via TM auction, that block was never auctioned. Not VIP, the seats have not been allocated to anyone yet. And not by chance on TM or See tickets, they would have ended up with Upper Tier like the rest of us did!

They must have special access, perhaps fronting as a legit agent, selling some tix normally and putting the others on ebay that they're supposed to sell at face value, but then go and charge £450.

There is something very fishy going on here, I really think it should be investigated.

I've managed to wind myself up about this even more now and over dinner it occured to me that the promoters must be quietly giving ticket "agents" all the premium seats at inflated prices and that these must have been provided in advance of tickets ever going on public sale.

So just a theory no proof, but I googled a bit and uncovered these comments made to to the Denver post back in 1999: -

The Denver Post was told in a number of interviews that:

Promoters are taking a portion of their concert tickets, as allotted by their contracts with bands and venues, and selling them directly to ticket brokers without ever making them available to the public.

Some ticket brokers and promoters are working together to artificially raise prices, pocketing the profits and hurting fans.

Sometimes, when a broker cannot sell the tickets at a sufficient premium before the concert, he returns them to the promoter, who often releases them at face value on the day of the show.

Promoters have been known to act as brokers themselves.


That's pretty scary stuff and if this was happening in 1999 I'm sure they're even more sophisticated now. And, if the brokers can't sell their Block D1 [etc] tickets, they can give them back to the promoter, who'll probably release them via TicketMaster with sales on the day or night before.

C'mon guys, I'm wound up on this one, any thoughts?

royalbadness said:

They were Aug 1st tickets

But, but... I thought all the floor seats (except for the VIP tickets and F fan block) were sold to customers who showed up in person at the box offices in London at the first day of sales . This ticket scam might be even bigger than I thought. I propose you make this a new item: "Where have all the floortickets gone?", if no one reacts who bought regular floor seats the fishy smell will grow and that might not be a bad thing to get the truth out.

Where have all the floor seats gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the floor seats gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the floor seats gone?
Scalpers have got them every one
When will Ticketmaster ever learn?
When will they ever learn?

Where have all the scalpers gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the scalpers gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the scalpers gone?
Gone to Ebay every one
When will Ticketmaster ever learn?
When will they ever learn?

Where have all the buyers gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the buyers gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the buyers gone?
Gone to buy decent albums by others every one
When will Ticketmaster ever learn?
When will they ever learn?

Where have all the truthful musicians gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the truthful musicians gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the truthful musicians gone?
Gone to graveyards every one
When will Ticketmaster ever learn?
When will they ever learn?

Where have all the graveyards gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the graveyards gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the graveyards gone?
Covered with floor seats every one
When will we ever learn?
When will we ever learn?

jillis said:

Shit! That's brilliant! Did you just make that up? It's cheered me up no end!

Yes, I'll create a new thread on this topic.
[Edited 7/25/07 13:18pm]

machinegun said:

Well thanks, to be honest a little bit of credit must go to Pete Seegers 'Where have all the flowers gone', but just a little bit. I think you are on to some serious poop toast and I support u taking this front page in every way.

By the way, did u ever read the report of the press conference by my aunty about the 3121 tour that was about a year to soon? It has become very relevant at this moment again:

http://www.prince.org/msg...133?&pg=13

PATRICIA UNDERSTOOD’S PRESS CONFERENCE!!! STOP THE PRESSES

Oh dear, just came back from a short holiday and my auntie (for some background info.on her check: http://www.prince.org/msg/12/194560 ) discovered the Org. Apparently she has been promoting her business here under the name of Graycap or something, and not in style of the latest fashion but effective though. And now it’s the time to tell you: it is all true. Here is a report of the Amsterdam, July 31st press conference by Miss Patricia Understood, tour promoter of Prince’s 2131 tour and president of his new record label Cat Fight records. The new web site is www.npgmusicclub.org and will be launched this month for sure: EXCITING!! Positive vibes thrill me from head to toe.


Transcription and photos of the openings statement by Patricia (PU):


"Howdie folks, my name is Patricia Understood, Prince’s new business associate. I invited all of you here to confirm the start of the new world tour called the "2131 Drop Your Money and Run Tour". Special famtickets will be available through the new fanclub web site which will be launched later this month. The tour starts tonight at the HögelFlögel indoor Spörtszentrum in Helsinki. Tickets go on sale half an hour before the show at the box office of the theatre. Tamar will open the programme with Mayte and Manuela on background vocals."

First question by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands:

"But den how to get spesjal fantikets voor dee upkoming sjows?"

PU : "Very good question! I appreciate that. We will certainly get into that."

Question of Mr. Chirac Of France:

"What ill bee de praise of le nouveau sjip de member pour la fancluub?"

PU: "3121 American dollars, therefore you get the right to buy tickets for the regular concerts including sound checks and after shows."

Chirac persists: "But what ill appen when Prince decides this are not called regulaar zoundchecks or shows de nuit but early or late azzitional concerts?"

"Then fams can buy additional tickets for 312,10 a piece for this special special concerts."

Chirac still not content: "And what about ze people who just signed up for a lifezime subscription with the old NPGMC famclub?"

PU: "Next question, Mrs. Merkell"


Merkel: "Are disabled people with zweelchairs allowed in ze spezial member zectione?"

PU: "They are allowed to buy tickets and can make use of the special wheelchair platforms at the back of the auditoriums."

Merkel: "What if zey are alzo wantz zo be in front of the zstage?"

PU: "They can take it or leave it, if they are going nag they will be removed from the auditorium. We have to keep some room in front to allow in the friends of the local tour promotors and security companies after the lights are dimmed."

Merkel: "You zertainly must be zjoking, are you refering to zee concerts in Italy?"

PU: "No, if you insist, I am talking about The Netherlands in particular."



Condoleeza Rice: "Got no question: just a short statement: there will be no concerts in the Middle East. The Prince and I came to an agreement about this. And also no concerts in Asia for that matter. You know what, there also will be no concerts in Europe either. It’s probably for the best that this world tour is limited to the USA."

Leaves and forgets to turn of her portable mic and is heard singing ‘Political Science’ by Randy Newman: "No one likes us-I don't know why, We may not be perfect, but heaven knows we try, But all around, even our old friends put us down, Let's drop the big one and see what happens: Boom goes London, boom Paris, more room for you and more room for me"

Queen Elizabeth

"Will there be a box set of old digitally remastered works to swing to?"

PU: "Yes, it will be released on my label Catfight records for which Prince signed an exclusive contract."

Queen Elizabeth: "But I thought this so called Prince didn’t sign contracts anymore?"

PU: "Prince and I married last week."

Prime minister Balkenende of The Netherlands (centre):


"OOOH dear, congratulations !!"

transcipt fails from this point because all start to sing Cliff Richards ‘Congratulations’. I might be able to find the follow up when I get my hands on the audio recordings made by Patricia.
[Edited 7/31/06 16:48pm]