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Louis CK selling tickets to latest tour exclusively on his site

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Re: Louis CK selling tickets to latest tour exclusively on his site

#101

Post by cdcarter »

jhuckestein wrote: post #32

Does anyone know if it's hard for venues to fill out their inventory? Is there a market for a self-service platform the brings together performers and venues?

This role is usually filled by the promoter. The promoter model actually is fairly smart, they maintain local offices in each areas and are responsible for knowing if a show will work in a region, and then booking it accordingly and taking care of advertising and PR.

Now then, of course, companies like LN are forming that are promoter/venue/manager combos and it gets a bit iffy.

Re: Louis CK selling tickets to latest tour exclusively on his site

#102

Post by steve8918 »

tptacek wrote: post #69
antidoh wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"If you're selling tickets at a flat rate and a sellout happens in a few minutes that means your tickets were too cheap." Not necessarily. I see nothing wrong with attempting to control the entire end to end experience, including ticket price. If he's selling at $45 because that's what he wants, there's nothing wrong with that. Or should cancer or diabetes pills be $1000 per pill because the manufacturer will find en…

But it's inefficient: at an artificially low price (let's stipulate that's what $45 is for Louis C.K.), the show attracts more buyers, a larger proportion of whom aren't dedicated fans. Meanwhile, dedicated fans (not heartless rich people) might be perfectly happy to pay $46, $48, or $54 dollars; they can't, though, because they've been locked out by a flood of superficial fans. This is to say nothing of the deadweig…

Inefficient for whom? The only person who is affected by a low price is Louis CK. He already said that he's making more than enough money for himself so that he's content, so as a show of good will, he's trying his best to lower the cost of the tickets for his fans. For his fans, it's good. Sure, he could make more money by increasing the prices of his tickets, but he doesn't want to do that because he wants to pass along the cost savings to his fans.

Also, he recognizes that he can't lower the price and not deal with the scalper problem, so he is attacking it by doing his best to traffic anyone who tries to sell his tickets for above face value. If this works, then it solves the problem of the scalpers not being able to make a profit, and Louis CK being able to keep ticket prices low for his fans.

The idea that "true" fans are being locked out by "superficial" fans is just plain dumb. What makes a "true" fan vs a "superficial" fan? If I've only seen one of his concerts on HBO, that means that I'm not eligible to go see him live? Do we really need a pissing contests between fans to see who really "deserves" to go see him live? That's dumb.

Re: Louis CK selling tickets to latest tour exclusively on his site

#103

Post by notatoad »

guelo wrote: post #52

It's pretty weird how popular music and comedy acts resist setting ticket prices at market clearing levels. If you're selling tickets at a flat rate and a sellout happens in a few minutes that means your tickets were too cheap. Shortages in a market are bad and can be solved with higher prices. Acts that leave surplus on the table are mostly benefiting scalpers not the fans, and it is also part of the reason Ticketma…

>They think without the super-excitement from the "real fans" it would ruin the experience of the show.

i don't think it's so much about the experience of the show, it's more about the image of the artist. if only adults with full time jobs can afford to go to the shows, then they become known as artists that only responsible old people enjoy. and no responsible old person wants to see a show that only responsible old people enjoy, they want to go to the shows that the young cool people are going to.

every business does loss leaders.

Re: Louis CK selling tickets to latest tour exclusively on his site

#104

Post by [deleted] »

guelo wrote: post #52

It's pretty weird how popular music and comedy acts resist setting ticket prices at market clearing levels. If you're selling tickets at a flat rate and a sellout happens in a few minutes that means your tickets were too cheap. Shortages in a market are bad and can be solved with higher prices. Acts that leave surplus on the table are mostly benefiting scalpers not the fans, and it is also part of the reason Ticketma…

[deleted]

Re: Louis CK selling tickets to latest tour exclusively on his site

#105

Post by mahyarm »

goatforce5 wrote: post #39
stoic wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I only checked the Texas shows, but the Magnolia Theatre in Dallas is a pretty "classic" theatre that has hosted plenty of top-tier comedians, and ACL Live in Austin books all kinds of heavy-hitting musical acts in addition to the stuff you see on the Austin City Limits television show. Not exactly comedy-specific clubs, but probably more appropriate than the places run by Ticketbastard/AEG Live. They're certainly st…

I'm curious... I went through to the buy page and there was a big notice saying that the tickets might become Will Call tickets. Do you have a ticket you can print out now, or are they telling you to turn up on the night of the show with ID? (I'm seeing him during September in Toronto - tickets available exclusively through Ticketmaster! http://jfl42.com/ )

I bought a ticket for SF, and I got something I could print out.

Re: Louis CK selling tickets to latest tour exclusively on his site

#106

Post by tomflack »

prawn wrote: post #100
tptacek wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Next ticketing system is a good idea for Achatz because it eliminates an obstacle to purchasing tickets: the near total uncertainty as to when you might get a table. A seating for 4 people at Alinea might require a month or two advance notice; a prime date perhaps even more. So it's a win to be able to look at a website and see when you might be able to get a table --- or, with the new Sicily menu, quickly discov…

I'm from South Australia, so when I'm near exceptionally popular restaurants, it's usually while travelling so I have a fixed window and won't usually have locked that window in until a week or two beforehand. And the reason I hate calling is that I imagine I'm one of a string of no-chance hopefuls just being a nuisance. And the staff are on the other end thinking "Doesn't this guy know who we are?! You're two months…

> And the reason I hate calling is that I imagine I'm one of a string of no-chance hopefuls just being a nuisance. And the staff are on the other end thinking "Doesn't this guy know who we are?! You're two months late, bozo."

Speaking from personal experience, once you get past barriers in yourself like that, life opens up to you. Using the internet as a crutch to avoid social interaction with a possibility of embarrassment is unhealthy.

Re: Louis CK selling tickets to latest tour exclusively on his site

#107

Post by jrockway »

dandelany wrote: post #74
jeffool wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's the same thing unless you have some kind of double authentication to prove the person who bought the ticket is the same one using it at the show. Like, say, matching it to an outside-authenticating number, like SSN or driver's license number. Otherwise a scalper can just use "employees" to purchase a few tickets (the limit) at each venue, and resell them.

The fans would know about the discount, so I'm sure they'd be more than happy to give their name and show a driver's license at the door.

Let's also have some backscatter imagers to make sure nobody brings weapons into the venue. Emulating the airlines is a business model guaranteed to succeed!

Re: Louis CK selling tickets to latest tour exclusively on his site

#108

Post by dagw »

lukekarrys wrote: post #9
drzaiusapelord wrote: post #5

I wonder if he's having issues with being denied access to certain venues. The reason why ticketmaster and the rest can get away with those fees is because they give a kickback to the venue owner. The venue owner can tell acts to get lost if they don't go through the ticket vendor that gives them $5 per ticket for nothing. Obviously CK is a huge act and you can't blacklist him, but you may need his level of star powe…

In his post he said he had trouble finding venues that would work with him on this. I know last time through Arizona he played Comerica Theatre (capacity 5500) and on this tour he is playing the Celebrity Theatre (capacity 2650). I would guess that this specific venue change was due to Comerica Theatre not wanting to work with his exclusive ticketing.

I'll bet you that if you look closely enough you'll find the Comerica (and most other equally large venues) is owned by Livenation/Ticket Master and as such will only deal with acts who work though Ticketmaster. That's the hardest problem to solve with ticketing, the fact that most venues of a decent size won't touch you unless you also use their ticketing service.

Re: Louis CK selling tickets to latest tour exclusively on his site

#109

Post by brunorsini »

dclowd9901 wrote: post #91
MartinCron wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Setting up this tour has been fascinating and difficult. this ticketing service is a brand new thing and I really fucking hope it works and that there aren't any problems. If anything comes up, please be patient There is something so honest and earnest about this message. It's basically what I wish I could say whenever I was doing something new and difficult.

The best comedians are simply the ones who say the things we all know in the best way.

The best writers, really.

Re: Louis CK selling tickets to latest tour exclusively on his site

#110

Post by michaelt »

tptacek wrote: post #69
antidoh wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"If you're selling tickets at a flat rate and a sellout happens in a few minutes that means your tickets were too cheap." Not necessarily. I see nothing wrong with attempting to control the entire end to end experience, including ticket price. If he's selling at $45 because that's what he wants, there's nothing wrong with that. Or should cancer or diabetes pills be $1000 per pill because the manufacturer will find en…

But it's inefficient: at an artificially low price (let's stipulate that's what $45 is for Louis C.K.), the show attracts more buyers, a larger proportion of whom aren't dedicated fans. Meanwhile, dedicated fans (not heartless rich people) might be perfectly happy to pay $46, $48, or $54 dollars; they can't, though, because they've been locked out by a flood of superficial fans. This is to say nothing of the deadweig…

When I was in college, the opportunity cost of a $45 ticket was eating badly instead of eating well for two weeks. Now I have a regular job, the opportunity cost of a $45 ticket is much lower - I'll have to wait a few weeks until I buy that DVD box set of 'House MD'.

So now I can buy tickets that before I could not afford. Have I become a more dedicated Louis CK fan? Or have I just become a richer fan?

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