Seats with a bad view! Went to the Stones concert in Las Vegas at the MGM on Nov 11th 2006 and paid $131.25 for side stage view seats in section 219. We were at the worst end of the row. The beginning of the row might have been ok, but from where we were you could hardly see anything. The show was sold out and couldn't find anywhere to move to. Section 217 is not for sale at the upcoming show according to the maps. If you wind up getting this section for the $85 tickets at least you didn't pay full price like we did!

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oldschool

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24FPS

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oldschool
How can anyone complain about $ 85 tickets ? We all knew the risks when we bought them yes?

When you say that tickets could be anywhere in the arena, you should be able to assume those tickets are from areas currently on the market. It appears that AEG opened up those crap sections at the last moment and threw a bunch of $85 ticket buyers in there. Henceforth the rip off. Your risk was that you could end up in the crap $150 sections, not a whole new section created especially for the damned.

Your point is moot as the offer stated the tickets could be anywhere from nosebleeds to the pit. Unfortunately you got a couple of the least desirable seats last night. It wasn't a rip-off as you knew in advance they may be less than desirable seats when you bought them. You roll the dice and take your chances.

And not that it matters but how do you know they opened up those sections at the last minute? or are you just speculating? if the show had sold out I think you would have a point but it sounds like they had a number of empty seats they could have put you in rather than open up a section last minute.

This misses one important point - the sale of obstructed view seats should have been disclosed at the time of sale. In some jurisdictions (I am not sure about California) there are actually laws that require ticket sellers to specifically disclose whether tickets being sold are "obstructed view" or "limited view". I think that New York is one of those jurisdictions where it is specifically required, but I'm not sure (would have to double check). In other jurisdictions, there is probably at least an argument under consumer protection laws.

Frankly, I plan to request a refund and I would encourage others to do the same. Even if it isn't required under California law, AXS should not place ticket purchasers in "restricted", "obstructed" or "limited" view seats unless that possibility was disclosed at the time of purchase. Hopefully, they will not do so at future events.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013-05-05 08:46 by drbryant.

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Harpo
Seats with a bad view! Went to the Stones concert in Las Vegas at the MGM on Nov 11th 2006 and paid $131.25 for side stage view seats in section 219. We were at the worst end of the row. The beginning of the row might have been ok, but from where we were you could hardly see anything. The show was sold out and couldn't find anywhere to move to. Section 217 is not for sale at the upcoming show according to the maps. If you wind up getting this section for the $85 tickets at least you didn't pay full price like we did!

Were you told that they were limited view at the time of purchase? Was it stamped on the ticket?

Let's face it.The $85 tix are gonna be scattered all over the place to give the impression the arena is full.

Unfortunately there will be a lot of groups of 2 or 3 seats in the expensive areas,and not allocated in the $85 draw.

Someone looks at a plan of the arena before the tix drop and works out best place for those tix to be allocated.
A few will be pit or floor maybe,but majority will be not so great.

If I was over there I would take my chances cos I couldn't afford,or want to pay $600 +.

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drbryant

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oldschool

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24FPS

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oldschool
How can anyone complain about $ 85 tickets ? We all knew the risks when we bought them yes?

When you say that tickets could be anywhere in the arena, you should be able to assume those tickets are from areas currently on the market. It appears that AEG opened up those crap sections at the last mo ment and threw a bunch of $85 ticket buyers in there. Henceforth the rip off. Your risk was that you could end up in the crap $150 sections, not a whole new section created especially for the damned.

Your point is moot as the offer stated the tickets could be anywhere from nosebleeds to the pit. Unfortunately you got a couple of the least desirable seats last night. It wasn't a rip-off as you knew in advance they may be less than desirable seats when you bought them. You roll the dice and take your chances.

And not that it matters but how do you know they opened up those sections at the last minute? or are you just speculating? if the show had sold out I think you would have a point but it sounds like they had a number of empty seats they could have put you in rather than open up a section last minute.

This misses one important point - the sale of obstructed view seats should have been disclosed at the time of sale. In some jurisdictions (I am not sure about California) there are actually laws that require ticket sellers to specifically disclose whether tickets being sold are "obstructed view" or "limited view". I think that New York is one of those jurisdictions where it is specifically required, but I'm not sure (would have to double check). In other jurisdictions, there is probably at least an argument under consumer

protection laws

Frankly, I plan to request a refund and I would encourage others to do the same. Even if it isn't required under California law, AXS should not place ticket purchasers in "restricted", "obstructed" or "limited" view seats unless that possibility was disclosed at the time of purchase. Hopefully, they will not do so at future events.

I am not missing any point. Would it have been nice for them to tell us we could end up with a restricted view seat ? Sure but it was a lottery and you have to expect you may get the crappiest seat possible. JMO but I doubt it would have caused many fans to not roll the dice on $85 tickets.

When I first purchased mine during the original sale for Boston there was a seating option It was Balcony or GA. I got GA but on the second wave for Oakland the only option is Balcony. Seems funny if the only option is balcony then you would assume thats what you would get.

Who knows the way they are going to work it the rest of the tour seems so chaotic



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2013-05-05 19:00 by virgil.

I imagine it will be the same everywhere.

Simple to just hand everyone with I.D. etc envelope with 2 tix.

Like the lottery,but you always get a prize of some sort.

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drbryant

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Harpo
Seats with a bad view! Went to the Stones concert in Las Vegas at the MGM on Nov 11th 2006 and paid $131.25 for side stage view seats in section 219. We were at the worst end of the row. The beginning of the row might have been ok, but from where we were you could hardly see anything. The show was sold out and couldn't find anywhere to move to. Section 217 is not for sale at the upcoming show according to the maps. If you wind up getting this section for the $85 tickets at least you didn't pay full price like we did!

Were you told that they were limited view at the time of purchase? Was it stamped on the ticket?

The tickets said "side stage view". Should have said "without a view"...

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oldschool

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drbryant

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oldschool

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24FPS

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oldschool
How can anyone complain about $ 85 tickets ? We all knew the risks when we bought them yes?

When you say that tickets could be anywhere in the arena, you should be able to assume those tickets are from areas currently on the market. It appears that AEG opened up those crap sections at the last mo ment and threw a bunch of $85 ticket buyers in there. Henceforth the rip off. Your risk was that you could end up in the crap $150 sections, not a whole new section created especially for the damned.

Your point is moot as the offer stated the tickets could be anywhere from nosebleeds to the pit. Unfortunately you got a couple of the least desirable seats last night. It wasn't a rip-off as you knew in advance they may be less than desirable seats when you bought them. You roll the dice and take your chances.

And not that it matters but how do you know they opened up those sections at the last minute? or are you just speculating? if the show had sold out I think you would have a point but it sounds like they had a number of empty seats they could have put you in rather than open up a section last minute.

This misses one important point - the sale of obstructed view seats should have been disclosed at the time of sale. In some jurisdictions (I am not sure about California) there are actually laws that require ticket sellers to specifically disclose whether tickets being sold are "obstructed view" or "limited view". I think that New York is one of those jurisdictions where it is specifically required, but I'm not sure (would have to double check). In other jurisdictions, there is probably at least an argument under consumer

protection laws

Frankly, I plan to request a refund and I would encourage others to do the same. Even if it isn't required under California law, AXS should not place ticket purchasers in "restricted", "obstructed" or "limited" view seats unless that possibility was disclosed at the time of purchase. Hopefully, they will not do so at future events.

I am not missing any point. Would it have been nice for them to tell us we could end up with a restricted view seat ? Sure but it was a lottery and you have to expect you may get the crappiest seat possible. JMO but I doubt it would have caused many fans to not roll the dice on $85 tickets.

It depends. If it is legal, then it is simply inconsistent with common business practice. If it is illegal, which it is in some jurisdictions, you have every reason to expect the disclosure, regardless of whether it would have affected your decision. I'm pretty sure that New York Code 25.13 would require the disclosure.

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crawdaddy
Let's face it.The $85 tix are gonna be scattered all over the place to give the impression the arena is full.

Unfortunately there will be a lot of groups of 2 or 3 seats in the expensive areas,and not allocated in the $85 draw.

Someone looks at a plan of the arena before the tix drop and works out best place for those tix to be allocated.

Yeah they've got to keep some good seats open for people who show at the last minute without a ticket and of course these tickets are lost for the 85ers...except maybe if you ask for an upgrade after the beginning, like some did in LA.

I'm still not clear how they checked you had actually bought an $85 ticket...seems impossible to scan a list of 2500+ people on a paper clip, others mentioned credits cards being scanned, that makes more sense...

They were initially reviewing credit cards and matching names to a list, but with the deluge of people, they just gave up. It might not be as bad at other venues if they are able to sell more regular priced tickets.

They did have good seats remaining. I bought two first tier tix right at the lip of the tongue stage - but it cost me $600 each. They had seats at $250 and $450 as well. The best floor seats were 24 rows back so I passed on those.

I wonder if people just chanced it and got in without a ticket...probably not, but some might try at the next shows ;-)

Yeah, it made sense for AEG to keep good seats available for people showing up at the last minute or 85ers not happy with their seats.

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MILKYWAY
I think it's great that everyone is getting a chance the see the boys again, if this is what you want to see.

I'm not going even if the $85 tickets were $8.50. It makes me too depressed, seeing these senior citizens go through the motions. They have about a dozen other musicians onstage to try to mask Keith's and Ron's playing (the latter IMHO never being very good anyway).

And the songs that they play! A bunch of newer songs and disco stones from the late seventies and Tattoo You. The handful of songs I know and love are distorted into something entirely different with synthesizers, a bevy of horns tooting and a choir of back-up singers.

Enjoy them, because this is probably it for real. Just be forewarned: You're not gonna get something comparable to a 1969 or a 1972 show, or a 1975 show, or even a 1978 or a 1981 show (past the date when the wheels started falling off the cart, so to speak). But if you want to see a bunch of elderly celebrities strutting about for another big paycheck and a crowd of middle-aged has-beens singing along, trying to remember both the Stones and their own glory days, God bless!

You should re-name yourself........"SNICKERS"
Why?
Cause you're LUMPY.......NOT SMOOTH!!!!!!

For what its worth, Staples Center did provide a "Stones-specific" seating chart on its web site:

Staples Center Seating Chart

Sections 332 and 331 are shown on the chart as $150 seats. I'm pretty sure these sections popped up at some point last week during ticket searches, but can't say whether or not they were offered as "limited/obstructed view". In any event, it appears they always had an intent at some point to either sell these seats or distribute them as part of the allotment of the 85s.

With regards to the upcoming Las Vegas show, MGM Grand also has a "Stones-specific" seating chart listed with Sections 218/219 shown for sale. Not sure what price level these sections are marked at, since the chart currently on the site is grey-scale, but they appear to be $150s...won't be surprised, however, to find myself in those sections with my 85s this coming Saturday.

The map of seats and prices on April 18th on the MGM web site had all of e seats in sections 218 and 219 and the back quarter of sections 201-207 highlighted in a light blue color and no price for light blue in the price guide. Sections 1, 2, and 3 at the rear of the floor were gray and without a price in the gray. My guess sections 1-3 are free casino tickets and the others $85?

Dammit -- were there no people who went to LA who had two pairs of $85 tickets and what happened??

Virgil has posted on this two or three times without response. I need to know too as I have Vegas tix.


plexi

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MILKYWAY
I think it's great that everyone is getting a chance the see the boys again, if this is what you want to see.

I'm not going even if the $85 tickets were $8.50. It makes me too depressed, seeing these senior citizens go through the motions. They have about a dozen other musicians onstage to try to mask Keith's and Ron's playing (the latter IMHO never being very good anyway).

And the songs that they play! A bunch of newer songs and disco stones from the late seventies and Tattoo You. The handful of songs I know and love are distorted into something entirely different with synthesizers, a bevy of horns tooting and a choir of back-up singers.

Enjoy them, because this is probably it for real. Just be forewarned: You're not gonna get something comparable to a 1969 or a 1972 show, or a 1975 show, or even a 1978 or a 1981 show (past the date when the wheels started falling off the cart, so to speak). But if you want to see a bunch of elderly celebrities strutting about for another big paycheck and a crowd of middle-aged has-beens singing along, trying to remember both the Stones and their own glory days, God bless!

You mean we are not going to get a show comparable to the 69-81 era Stones when they were 30-40 years younger and still in their prime for our $85? well damn I wish I had known this before I bought my tickets.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2013-05-05 22:31 by oldschool.

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timbernardis
Dammit -- were there no people who went to LA who had two pairs of $85 tickets and what happened??

Virgil has posted on this two or three times without response. I need to know too as I have Vegas tix.


plexi

Well there was a thread called the "$85 experiences" but it got merged here so it's a bit hard to follow now...the gist of it is that most people got crap seats in the rafters, a few lucked out in the lower level and one hearsay report on Shidoobee said that one pair was a pit ticket...but Gwen saw on a list that there were 50 tickets in the pit...

Food for thought - if they had told us that some $85s would be limited/obstructed view, I wonder if they would have sold more regular price tickets.

I would have taken that into account.

I looked at the map for Staples on the 20th. The section I was in, 322, is not for sale. If you go and look at the map you will see that those seats should not be on sale at any point. I have attended Stones concerts where they sold all the seats and the staging was such (No Security comes to mind) that yes, you were behind the stage, but at least you could see the band, and they had screens so you could see the action. (And Mick would go back at to play to them from time to time). The current staging prohibits that. And if they're going to spring sections like 322 on the public at the last moment, then shame on them.

The bottom line is don't fall in love with the $85 dollar ticket. Yes, you'll get in the arena. And if you're bold and adventurous you can maybe stake out a couple seats in a better area after the concert starts. Good luck.

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Harpo
The map of seats and prices on April 18th on the MGM web site had all of e seats in sections 218 and 219 and the back quarter of sections 201-207 highlighted in a light blue color and no price for light blue in the price guide. Sections 1, 2, and 3 at the rear of the floor were gray and without a price in the gray. My guess sections 1-3 are free casino tickets and the others $85?

Thanks Harpo. I saw the colored chart a couple weeks ago...just found it in the LV show planning thread. Suspect you are correct that the majority of the 85s will be located in the top rows of 201-207, or in 218/219. Interesting, though, that the promoters decided to pull the other chart and replace it with an earlier revision (which shows Sections 1-3 at a $450 price).

By the way...slightly off-topic but I just checked TM and pulled 4 tickets in the top rows of Section 7, originally priced at $750, for $450. Looks like the markdowns for LV have begun.

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MILKYWAY
I think it's great that everyone is getting a chance the see the boys again, if this is what you want to see.

I'm not going even if the $85 tickets were $8.50. It makes me too depressed, seeing these senior citizens go through the motions. They have about a dozen other musicians onstage to try to mask Keith's and Ron's playing (the latter IMHO never being very good anyway).

And the songs that they play! A bunch of newer songs and disco stones from the late seventies and Tattoo You. The handful of songs I know and love are distorted into something entirely different with synthesizers, a bevy of horns tooting and a choir of back-up singers.

Enjoy them, because this is probably it for real. Just be forewarned: You're not gonna get something comparable to a 1969 or a 1972 show, or a 1975 show, or even a 1978 or a 1981 show (past the date when the wheels started falling off the cart, so to speak). But if you want to see a bunch of elderly celebrities strutting about for another big paycheck and a crowd of middle-aged has-beens singing along, trying to remember both the Stones and their own glory days, God bless!

GOOD GAWD StonesTod, is that you!?!

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24FPS
I looked at the map for Staples on the 20th. The section I was in, 322, is not for sale. If you go and look at the map you will see that those seats should not be on sale at any point. I have attended Stones concerts where they sold all the seats and the staging was such (No Security comes to mind) that yes, you were behind the stage, but at least you could see the band, and they had screens so you could see the action. (And Mick would go back at to play to them from time to time). The current staging prohibits that. And if they're going to spring sections like 322 on the public at the last moment, then shame on them.

The bottom line is don't fall in love with the $85 dollar ticket. Yes, you'll get in the arena. And if you're bold and adventurous you can maybe stake out a couple seats in a better area after the concert starts. Good luck.

Sorry, meant to type 322 in first post, not 332. Looked to me on the chart I linked that Staples marked them as $150s. And I spent more time than I probably should have last week looking for seats...pretty sure they were offering them on AXS site before Friday for $150. But, then again, I could be wrong...

I've been in the upper bowl at Staples several times for hockey, basketball, concerts, etc. Personally, except possibly for Row 1 I try to avoid it up there for any event. Didn't walk up there Friday night, but I have no reason to believe that the side-view seats were anything but horrid as compared to something in the lower bowl.

Sorry your experience wasn't the best, and I couldn't agree more with your bottom line.

Posted in another thread:

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Halup
I know someone who did get a pair for the pit from the $85 tickets. They met a few others around them that had also won them from the lottery, so that means there were at least a minimum of 5 or so pairs from the lottery.

I ended up in PR2 which was very good and would have been the $450 tickets, so I consider myself lucky.

The band is not to blame that the view was obstructed. That was a promoter choice to release the seats.

Please post your experience with the $85.00 tickets.
I have tickets for three shows and would like to see what others got in the way of seating, lines, wait time, confusion, anyone get pit tickets for $85.00.
Hopefully this thread will stay up top for all to continue adding throughout the tour.
Post here for all to see so we dont have to read thru all the other threads.

The band is definitely to blame.

As someone pointed out, they advertise "over 1000" $85 tickets
newspapers and online sources and AEG in interviews to Hollywood reporter
write, "1000" $85 tickets will be available. Nobody mentions

Fans take a certain amount of time following the stones to get their
shot at 1 of the 1000 tickets.

Fans are under the assumption that some of the tickets will be the best seats in the house, and other seats are decent.

Fans sign in to the AXS ticket system, and click refresh hundreds of times trying to get in the system to purchase one of the pairs.

When the fan gets through in the system, the purchase states, GA-PIT, = $85.
Fan thinks he/she got lucky and got one of the best seats. Fan immediately
enters credit card information and purchases the ticket. AXS sends a confirmation
e-mail disclosing the seat location as GA-PIT. The confirmation states nothing indicating that the fan will be sitting anywhere else. Only a box that says, "THIS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE YOUR TICKETS" But to pick up your tickets at will-call.

Nowhere in the agreement during the purchase did it state clearly, whatsoever that the $85 ticket would not be the GA-PIT. Nor did it say it was a raffle or a lotto. Nor did it say the probability of you winning an amazing seat.

Fan goes to the event, gets excited, then the line turns into 5,000 other people. Who at the last minute get involved in the $85 ticket system. For most people, the box office doesn't cross check credit cards. It's likely many people got free tickets by merely showing an ID.

Fan picks up his/her ticket and receives the last row, worst possible seat. For a seat location that was not available nor originally sold whatsoever. The speaker system has no speakers pointed at that angle.

Fan doesn't hear most of the vocals. Meanwhile others who weren't in the original 85$ ticket pool, received better seats just by showing up and getting in the 85$ ticket line.

So there's a lot of issues at hand.

1 > How can you sell someone a ticket to a concert for a seat in which the ticket-holder cannot clearly hear the audio?

2 > It seems like the practice is an illegal lottery

3 > It seems like the practice is an illegal raffle

4 > The AEG ads about the lottery don't disclose the probability and value of the seats you could potentially win, nor the number of contestants

5 > The sales receipt at time of purchase indicates nothing about it being a mystery ticket. The sales receipt before and after purchase clearly indicates that you are sitting in the GA-PIT.

So yeah, I blame the stones

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eddiefm
The band is definitely to blame.

As someone pointed out, they advertise "over 1000" $85 tickets
newspapers and online sources and AEG in interviews to Hollywood reporter
write, "1000" $85 tickets will be available. Nobody mentions

Fans take a certain amount of time following the stones to get their
shot at 1 of the 1000 tickets.

Fans are under the assumption that some of the tickets will be the best seats in the house, and other seats are decent.

Fans sign in to the AXS ticket system, and click refresh hundreds of times trying to get in the system to purchase one of the pairs.

When the fan gets through in the system, the purchase states, GA-PIT, = $85.
Fan thinks he/she got lucky and got one of the best seats. Fan immediately
enters credit card information and purchases the ticket. AXS sends a confirmation
e-mail disclosing the seat location as GA-PIT. The confirmation states nothing indicating that the fan will be sitting anywhere else. Only a box that says, "THIS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE YOUR TICKETS" But to pick up your tickets at will-call.

Nowhere in the agreement during the purchase did it state clearly, whatsoever that the $85 ticket would not be the GA-PIT. Nor did it say it was a raffle or a lotto. Nor did it say the probability of you winning an amazing seat.

Fan goes to the event, gets excited, then the line turns into 5,000 other people. Who at the last minute get involved in the $85 ticket system. For most people, the box office doesn't cross check credit cards. It's likely many people got free tickets by merely showing an ID.

Fan picks up his/her ticket and receives the last row, worst possible seat. For a seat location that was not available nor originally sold whatsoever. The speaker system has no speakers pointed at that angle.

Fan doesn't hear most of the vocals. Meanwhile others who weren't in the original 85$ ticket pool, received better seats just by showing up and getting in the 85$ ticket line.

So there's a lot of issues at hand.

1 > How can you sell someone a ticket to a concert for a seat in which the ticket-holder cannot clearly hear the audio?

2 > It seems like the practice is an illegal lottery

3 > It seems like the practice is an illegal raffle

4 > The AEG ads about the lottery don't disclose the probability and value of the seats you could potentially win, nor the number of contestants

5 > The sales receipt at time of purchase indicates nothing about it being a mystery ticket. The sales receipt before and after purchase clearly indicates that you are sitting in the GA-PIT.

So yeah, I blame the stones

That was the most clearly stated situation that we are in. Really, what is with that putting GA-PIT on every $85 ticket? No crap it's misleading. And then when you end up with a seat where you can't even see the screen, or have a speaker pointed your way, you feel cheated. And once again, I could handle it and moved to better seats when I could. But I missed the first few songs before everybody could get settled and I could begin to pick out empty seats. Yes, the fans ARE getting cheated by misleading advertising. Buy the $85 ticket if you just want to get in, but don't expect a decent seat. You will be one of the rare, lucky ones if that happens for you. If I'm not mistaken I've only heard of TWO $85 tickets being in the PIT.

Also, nothing in the AEG terms and conditions attached to the purchase state anything about the ticket not being at the GA-PIT. Nothing indicates that you are purchasing an $85 seat with the chance to win better seats (which would be a contest, lotto, game of chance, etc)....