False Hopes Fuel Keith Urban's Ticket Frenzy - NewsChannel 5.co...

As country music's biggest names gather for a week of awards and celebrations, NewsChannel 5 investigates secrets that some would rather you not know.

[NativeSon]

Urban should have known better. No matter what your level of stardom...always know everything you can of your status and how you are being marketed (sold). This will hurt future tix sales for him and should...especially since his wife is a multi-multi-millionaire. How much is enough for these "stars?" I don't begrudge Urban making all the money he can. But, don't cheat the real fans with hopes that are impossible to be acheived.

[Anniebelle263]

The information that they are talking about, joining Keith Urban's Fan Club for $25.00 to have early access to tickets, I got "TOOK" on Jonas Brother's tickets, but it was $40.00 to join, after I joined, there was not any tickets left available for me to purchase. Total rip off.

[John]

What a one-sided hatchet job aimed soley at Keith Urban by a media outlet with an obvious vendetta against Urban. Jackson comes off as nothing more than a journalistic hack without morals, whose goal was to humiliate Urban. First of all your six month investigation claims is blown to pieces by the fact the All for the Hall took place less than a month ago. How about the fact the 60,000 stadium seats for Chesney's Foxboro MA show sold out in 10 mintues? That happenned all on the straight, right? How about the fact Urban raised a half million for the hall? When was the last time you did anything worthwile or had the power to raise that kind of money? How about never? You have no idea the kind of firestorm you are about to create and not the kind you think. Urban's fans are endlessly devoted. They are going to rise up against you and your obvious bias and lack of integrity. Your career will be over. You will ashamed and humiliated. They will come after you with fire and fury and you deserve it for creating such a story filled with half-truths.

[John]

One more thing. Great source. The Lefsetz blog?? What a joke. They guy is a long time music industry outsider with no credibility within the business. He has tried for your years to get a job in the business he is ambushing hear. Yeah, a blogger with no readers is great source. Williams you are really bad at your job. Go back to living in your mother's basement.

[tvabs]

Everything about these superstars is fake if you want a dose of reality go listen to some pickers in Nashville at various writers nights going on any night in town. There is too much money at stake in the business to expect anything less. Remember higher demand equals higher prices. They use these stunts to increases demand which equals more money in their pockets. That's all they care about!!! So quit pouting and get a grip!!

[Brittany]

I TOTALLY agree with you John. I could not have said it any better myself.

[Jim in Nashville]

Proof read John. Proof read.

[JUDY]

JOHN THE BEST COMMENT SO TRUE WHAT YOU SAID JUST SICK PEOPLE. AND THE COMMENT ABOUT WIFE SHOWS HOW MENTALLY ILL PEOPLE ARE.I WONT BE READING THIS OR WATCHING THIS AGAIN.JEALOUSY AND SMALL MINDS.

[jane]

Please understand, all of this information is nothing new in the ticket biz. Just ask anyone who use to work at Starwood, or who is in the boxoffice at the Areana; music or sports. There is always a very large number of tickets blocked. Nothing personal, just the biz. I wish this stuff was news, but this is just how it is done.

[Country Music Fan]

The moral to this story is: if Urban is indeed behind the scalping scene; do not attend his concerts! End of discussion.

[Dear John]

Is it a "one-sided" hatchet job because no one from Keith's camp would appear in the story? I'm assuming they were offered the chance?
At least someone has the courage to call Keith out on the ridiculous $20 ticket pr he rode for all he could when there were really only a couple of tickets at that price. And it apparently didn't cost Keith a dime because he kept the best tickets for himself to make up for it? Give me a break.
I believe they said something about another story tomorrow that shows ticketing practices of another musician, hardly sounds like someone just out to get Keith.
I'm tired of logging on ticketmaster the minute they go onsale only to see there are no tickets available. The reason they apparently sell out in minutes (like the stadium show John mentioned for Chesney) is because the artists, their promoters, sponsors and everyone else gets the best seats and everyone else scrambles for the leftovers.

[Kim]

The wife comments showed how over the top this article was. What should have been a piece about the unfair ticket practices that go on throughout the music industry turned into a slam piece against Keith Urban and his family.

[LMAO]

What are you people in Worcester drinking tonight? John or Kim or whatever your name is, you say that "What should have been a piece about unfair ticket practices ... turned into a slam piece against Keith Urban and his family." Show me one spot where his family is mentioned. Go ahead! Have another drink and see if you can find it.

Keith Urban tried to make everyone think he was looking out for the poor, hurting people - while secretly just offering a handful of $20 tickets so he could say he had done it.

Give me a break!

[Dear John]

Who said anything about his wife? I just looked at the story again and don't see anything about Keith's wife. Funny that "John" and "Kim" are both showing as being from the same town in a far away state. Bet "they" are tied to Keith's team somehow, but why start making stuff up?

[Kim]

The part about Keith and his wife was in the story and has now been removed. I promise you I have no relation to Team Urban...Worcester MA is probably a colaction facility for wireless broadband provider.

Look I think this is pretty standard practice in the music industry and I think it is wrong, but the story made it sound like only Urban and his promoters were the ones doing it. Chesney, Paisley, Swift, Underwood, Rascal Flatts, all have fan clubs, all offer special premium packages, and discounted seats. None of them were taking to task.

The funny thing is the concert that they are citing the All for the Hall event, Urban did not make a dime off of. It was all a fundraiser with all of the proceeds going to the Hall.

None of these other artists made an attempt to donate an entire nights proceeds to a charitable cause this year. I guess the lesson for Keith is clear. Cancel next years already planned concert for the Hall because it is not worth the abuse he will take for it.

[bjeane]

When Keith's tour went on sale, it was stated that a few sections would be offered at $20.00. This reporter should have "investigated" a little further to discover that the tickets set aside and sold at auction went to charity. The same story ran a few months ago in ref. to Bruce Springsteen and other artists selling out Madison Square Garden in minutes. What is this news station trying to gain by airing this piece now during CMA week?? Trying to up the ratings or what??? This has gone on for years and has just escalated with the use of the internet. It happens with EVERY popular artist. If fans want to pay $25.00 for a membership and a "chance" at getting first dibs on concert tickets, that is their choice.

[LMAO]

He didn't make money off the All for the Hall event? Telling people to join his fan club so they could get access to tickets that didn't exist, that isn't profiting off the event? Hmmm.

[Dear John]

Kim, there was nothing in the story about Keith's wife, I watched the story when it aired here in Nashville. The video of the original story as aired is on their website. Nothing about what's her name despite what you and John claim.

IF you watched the story, they did say there is another part tomorrow night about another artist, so your claim that they are just out to get Keith and his family is flimsy. I think they showed Taylor Swift in the video.

As for the HOF concert, the HOF presumably got $25 for each ticket, KU got $25 for everyone who signed up for his fan club hoping to get access to a $25 ticket. But not everyone who paid $25 got a ticket according to the story. The irony, according to the story, is that Keith didn't want to discuss HOF tix being scalped because he does it on his own shows. Maybe the lesson is don't be a hypocrite.

Bottom line, KU held back the best seats to his own show so he could make bigger profits off them. Can't wait to see what Phil reveals tomorrow.

[Insider Information]

Scalping: Def: To resell at a price higher than the established value. For those of you who claim to be reporters, it would make sence that you could pick up a dictionary at some point during a 7 month investigation. If Keith "or his people" decide to sell premium seats at auction or at a higher price, that IS NOT scalping, because the ticket is being sold for the first time, it is NOT being resold. The artists have the right to charge whatever they want for access to their performances. Who are you to tell them what to charge? Everything sold in this country is scalped. Walmart "scalps" ever item it sells. It sells items for a profit, just like every retail store on earth. You just dont call it that. They provide you a service just like a scalper does. They bring in all types of products in one place that makes shopping easy. A scalper, or broker, hunts down tickets, gets online at whatever hour tickets go on sale, or does whatever is needed to ensure I get good tickets. For that I pay him a price to compensate him for his time. Truth is, half the time I pay less than face value for shows. I got Jonas Brothers tickets from LastMinuteTickets4Less.com for $20, about $80 less than the $100 face value. You should def check that site. Stop hating on Keith, hes the best!

[Oh really]

Is it scalping to secretly list your tickets on a site that claims to be for fans to resell their tickets?
Does anyone else find it odd that 12 front-row tix from the fan club would end up being scalped?
Two, perhaps? Four, maybe? But TWELVE?