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Re: Ticket Distribution



Hi Kyle,

Nothing odd, and I don't feel defensive.  I know that I provide light years
more of service than I ever get compensated for.  But that's OK, as long as
it's in the service of helping people who really appreciate it.  As for
specific questions...

>>You state that you have done your best to cultivate your relationships
(with brokers) whenever possible. This is nice, but don't you think that
these brokers where cultivating you? I mean it seems to me that you not being
an avid ticket agent customer, that you must of told them that you could
"spread the word to lots of other fans". This is exactly the folks that these
guys want to move their tickets to. The hardcore fans, who will pay more than
the average guy off the street.

Yes, you are right that I am giving them access to some of their target
market.  However, this is one of a small handful of times over the course of
years that I am able to help them in such a way.  It's not like The Who is
such a faithful road band that brokers would spend their time cultivating me.
 They just don't get that much out of it.  By contrast, if just one time, one
of these guys makes it happen so that I end up in the first row at any Who
related show, I will be eternally grateful, and it will have been worth
whatever I contributed.  

For example, it was a broker I know in the Bay Area who knows what a huge Who
fan I am, who when I was down to the wire and desperate for Pete tix at the
Fillmore in SF (the toughest ticket of the year in SF, changing hands for as
much as $300 for a GA ticket), arranged to hire people to wait in line
starting at the box office beginning at 10 in the morning.  I couldn't do it,
because I was up until 4am from Pete's LA shows the night before and then had
to travel 400 miles in a plane, get a car, and drive directly to the Fillmore
to relieve his crew (along with other faithful Who fans).  Without him, I
would have travelled from Colorado, other fans from Seattle and we would
never have gotten tickets.  Did I pay for all that?  Yes.  Am I indebted some
major favors that I have only begun paying off?  Yes.  Are any of the other
people who benefitted paying off the debt of that favor?  No.  Did I charge
the other people enough to cover the cost of my ticket?  Yes.  Did that begin
to cover the literally dozens of hours I spent trying to get tickets?  No,
not a one.  Did it pay for my phone bills?  Probably not.  Did it cover my
plane ticket and rental car.  No.

>>Secondly, are you making money/ free tickets off of this? 

My objective is always two-fold.  I want to help out other people, and I want
to cover or at least lessen the cost of my tickets.  Do I "make money" doing
this.  Hardly.  If only I got $1/hr for the time I've invested...  But if I
end up in the front come show time, and I make others happy, then I feel damn
good about all the stress, work, hassle, and even the disrespectful, rude
comments from people like Rich/Fang.

Didn't expect to get so into this, Kyle, but this whole thing with Fang
repeatedly slagging away at me on the list has me feeling really frustrated.
 My conscience is more than clean.  I'm just trying to help people on both
ends and end up with my ticket every night at a price I can somewhat afford.
 Do you understand now?

Perhaps I'll send this to the list.  I haven't re-read it yet to see if I
need change what I've said in order to protect myself from attack.  Too bad I
even have to think that way.

Anyway, hope you found this informative.

Lauren