Quote:
Originally Posted by strandinthewind
Moreover, if "they" (in quotes because undefined)manipulate the data to show sold out performances or portray the sales in a more favorable light than reality, why did they do that in all cases save for the one sell out?
|
Even though its all under the Live Nation umbrella, the different talent buyers, production managers, box office managers, etc. account for the clear variances. Its very easy to manipulate. The
only numbers that mean a damn are the number of tickets sold, and the gross- those are the constants (and even THAT can be suspicious every once in a while, like what Live Nation's Chicago office is reporting for the Rosemont shows... but, knowing them, it doesn't surprise me).
Regarding Auburn Hills. When the Auburn Hills show was first put on sale, approximately 19000 tickets were available on the manifest that day. As the day of the show grew closer, they knew they weren't going to sell anywhere near enough tickets to justify that seating configuration/price scaling, and they adjusted both (as DavidMN described, with the curtains in the upper level, relocating people who bought tickets in the affected sections) accordingly, deep discounting tickets that were selling at $79.50 (as reflected in the average ticket price). It was in THAT configuration that they sold 90% (a large chunk not at their initial face value) of the house. If you still think that means Fleetwood Mac had a near-sellout in Auburn Hills, you can see how that's more of an opinion than a fact.
Even in this sh*tty economy, Fleetwood Mac in Auburn Hills on a Sunday should have been worth at LEAST 14000 paid tickets. Its one of the markets they hit three times on the SYW tour, and even though they wouldn't have been able to do that this time, it should have done better.