Quote:
Originally Posted by michelej1
Fleetwood Mac could only dream of getting as much publicity as Irving Azoff. The Wall Street Journal did a cover story on him this weekend, wondering if he could save rock and roll.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123517105948436743.html
It said that the Eagles made about $50 million by selling their CD through WalMart. Azoff said that if they had gone the traditional route, they would only have made pennies per CD. Could he do something similar for FM if they had a new album? I don't care whether it's muse or money that forces them into the studio, as long as they get there.
Michele |
Totally agree with your sentiments that Mr. Azoff is a force and did brilliantly by the Eagles with their cd and would only hope for him to do the same with Fleetwood Mac. But, the unanswered question had only to do with the tour-- is it "ethical" for an Azoff-owned entity to purchase up the premium $150 seats and resell them on the band's behalf at prices greatly inflated through TicketsNow, I Love All Access, and PlatinumPackages? Is it even in the tour's best interest that the best seats cost $700 per seat for this tour, and that the "bad guys" aren't scalpers, but a representative of Fleetwood Mac who is scapling on behalf of the band? Come on, HUGE difference between brilliantly marketing a cd to get new music bought by vintage bands who can't get radio play for new material, and essentially defrauding the public by having the floor seats listed on TicketMaster for $150 and then finding that is a fraction of the actual cost being charged by three companies Azoff and Fleetwood Mac have formed to greatly inflate the ticket prices. I can tell you are intelligent enough to know the difference, and I mean no disrespect to you, personally. But i think if $150 is the 'top price' for the ticket and you can't get it unless you pay nearly $2000 for a pair of tickets for the best seats through these 3 companies, call it what it is: To see Fleetwood Mac in the first rows of floor seats, it will cost far, far more than what is being represented, and Azoff and Fleetwood Mac know all about it.
If $150 top price per seat in 10,000 seat venues, with tier pricing for the 45 dates insuring the band well over a $50 million gross for a short tour is not enough money for what is 4/5 of Fleetwood Mac's 'greatest hits unleashed tour' for Mr. Azoff and Fleetwood Mac to earn for a night of oldies, so be it. But to illicitly hide behind companies set up to try to ensure that the $45 million gross be snarkily inflated to $55 or $60 million (not including swag) is making the old-school scalpers look like saints! Through Mr. Azoff, Fleetwood Mac are now their OWN scalpers and by approving his tacticts, they essentially say 'yes we will gladly charge close to ten times or more than the actual ticket prices to make our holy buck rehashing the old songs once more, we're worth it, why not' - it's amazing how disgusting what is going on is only very slowly being recognized. So, while i commend Mr. Azoff on his business acumen for successfully marketing the Eagles newest cd-- that's awesome--- this tour is nothing that promotes new music and the ethics are-- what they are.
If able to find a pair of $150 seats through Ticketmaster that's satisfactory, I expect to attend. But Mr. Azoff's "publicity" and Wall Street coverage has nothing to do with dishonesty or greed, and the ticket selling of this tour is flat out deceptive, and seems to be born out of dishonesty and greed, so why cover for Azoff? The cd industry for 'classic rock' artists DID need saving-- the tour receipts of 'Say You Will' were excellent- 3 legs-- so, maybe the point for 'Unleashed' is for Azoff and Mac to make in 45 dates the same money in way, way, less time, and the only ones who get hurt are everyone wanting a good ticket at the claimed advertised price of $150 top-- except if the public rejects Azoff and Fleetwood Mac's deceit. Time will tell.