FINE PRINT of Verified Fan Presale

[Sherry]

My theory...it's all in the fine print of "Verified Fan" and my sincere belief that if we were assigned a presale group that meant we were verified. 

In reading U2.com/help:
Can I register for other Verified Presales if I participate in the Verified Subscriber Presale, like Verified Citi and Verified Fan?
Yes, you may register for the other Presales in addition to the U2.com Verified Subscriber Presale. Please note, registration does not guarantee you will be verified, receive a code, or have the ability to purchase tickets through the other Presales.

Note: "Does not guarantee you will be verified."

In reading http://help.ticketmaster.com/verified-fan/
Am I guaranteed tickets if I get a #VerifiedFan code? If you have been randomly selected to receive a code it will unlock the ability to access tickets. However, tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis and are not guaranteed.

Note: "If you have been randomly selected to receive a code...."

This is new to U2.com subscribers, and unless you actively researched this OCD-style (like I have), you wouldn't have connected the dots here that the Verified Fan system was a lottery. How is that lottery chosen? According to http://help.ticketmaster.com/verified-fan/:
Ticketmaster #VerifiedFan was designed to separate actual, human fans from bots and scalpers. The system aims to thwart bad actors who are in the business of taking away tickets from fans just so they can resell them. Our technology analyzes every registrant to make sure they are real people interested in going to the show.

Please note: Registering does NOT guarantee you will be verified, receive a code or have the ability to purchase tickets.

So, looking at this, it was an algorithm used by Ticketmaster that determined if "you've got the gifts to get me through the gates of that mansion." The algorithm apparently didn't take into account number of years of loyalty to U2.com, number of U2 concert tickets you've purchased through your TM account, if you've bought stuff through the U2.com fan shop, or the like. Not sure what the algorithm it was!

But good people, loyal to U2 for decades were shut out of the ticket buying for this tour. Is that how the band truly wants to reward it's loyal of loyals? Is this how the band wants their legacy to be remembered - by letting a computer algorithm determine the legitimacy of their fan base? This is absurd!

So, yeah - the fans who were shut out don't have a leg to stand on at the moment, and I can understand why the mods are having to dig out of a backlog longer than they've ever had to do before becuase it wasn't crystal clear to the fan club what it all meant - that we were entering a LOTTERY system through verification. That having an assigned presale group wasn't the confirmation...that setting up your account wasn't enough. That in some cases, being a member of the fanclub since its inception online wasn't enough. It's a tough pill to swallow and it's justified.

This is why people like myself kept asking questions - this is why @bigwave came on our ATU2 podcast to answer questions. This is why we questioned...everything....! And still, we're facing this situation which, quite frankly, is worse than 2005 because this time it wasn't the scalpers who kept the loyal fans out of the concert - it was Ticketmaster themselves with their algorithms. It's not a perfect system, but it shut out some very good, loyal people who have traveled the world to see this band - and who most likely will be forced to pay a scalper for their tickets. In this way, the statement of "U2 cares about their fans and they are committed to making every effort possible towards getting tickets into the hands of fans only." hurts more than ever to so many shut out of the process.

 

[17iloveu2]

No words

[stateless]

Well said, Sherry. Absolutely horrendous customer service, the likes of which can only occur when a company has a monopoly on tours and ticket sales. Scalpers get even more money because of (real or perceived) scarcity of tickets, while dedicated fans aren't deemed worthy. 

[alanelise]

Exactly. Though my friend who was shut out has since been sent a code. Are they doing a u-turn.

 

Edited November 15, 2017 by alanelise

[habitmade]

well said, thank you for posting.

[vertigojds]

Frankly, it's going to be even worse when the general onsales happen.  My experience (or attempted experiences) with Verified Fan for general onsales for other acts has been bad.  Ticketmaster will do a lottery to determine who's allowed to buy tickets, and if you're not selected, you just never have an option to try to buy.  Ever.  There's no "general sale", it's all "Verified Fan".  It's going to be a massively ugly wake-up call for a lot of long time fans who aren't fan club members, who didn't get tickets through the fan club this year, or who are used to going to multiple shows, who simply aren't allowed to even visit the Ticketmaster page this time to attempt buying tickets.

And yet, there will be plenty on Stubhub, because there always are.

With respect to Bigwave, the answers he gave on the podcast turned out to be not correct.  Just think about that - an official representative of U2.com went on a public forum and disseminated information which was false.  The information that the mod team has here is often incomplete, and they are often powerless to help.  We say over and over "don't blame the mods" or "they're doing the best they can" but the truth is that they are employees of a system that has been increasingly worse to fans since LiveNation took over the touring business and since Guy Oseary took over management of the band.  There were problems with the onsale for this tour, there were problems with CCE sales in 2015 and 2017, the pricing has been out of control, etc., etc.  And there's simply no one answerable for any of this anymore.  And while I don't think Bigwave is personally a bad guy -- at some point, doesn't someone have to be responsible for something, anything, here?  Because right now, no one is accountable for anything.  We're asked to pay an ever increasing fee each year and are given less and less in return for that fee.

Edited November 15, 2017 by vertigojds

[Crazyu2fan]

Thanks for posting Sherry. Well said.. I was one of the experience group who renewed early (membership didn't expire until next year), registered with TM for the verified fan presale. Registered for shows I wanted to go to. Got the email saying i was selected for yesterday's presale but never got the code.  I have PM'd a mod here who actually seemed concerned and asked for my member info/order number. Then never got a response back. Guess the best thing to do right now is get a refund for my early membership renewal. I am so disappointed in this band. I have been a fan since 1987, always kept my membership from lapsing.. And I feel like that means shit.. all for nothing..

[Ingrida]

4 minutes ago, vertigojds said:

Frankly, it's going to be even worse when the general onsales happen.  My experience (or attempted experiences) with Verified Fan for general onsales for other acts has been bad.  Ticketmaster will do a lottery to determine who's allowed to buy tickets, and if you're not selected, you just never have an option to try to buy.  Ever.  There's no "general sale", it's all "Verified Fan".  It's going to be a massively ugly wake-up call for a lot of long time fans who aren't fan club members, who didn't get tickets through the fan club this year, or who are used to going to multiple shows, who simply aren't allowed to even visit the Ticketmaster page this time to attempt buying tickets.

And yet, there will be plenty on Stubhub, because there always are.

I can't imagine they would mark someone inelligible for perpetuity making them unable to buy any tickets for any shows ever again in the future. That would be literally the stupidest thing ever because Ticketmaster would lose millions of dollars! I can totally see your point but the thought of them doing that is literally the worst thing that could happen to people who go to a lot of concerts!

 

[kavanbJDE]

4 minutes ago, Ingrida said:

I can't imagine they would mark someone inelligible for perpetuity making them unable to buy any tickets for any shows ever again in the future. That would be literally the stupidest thing ever because Ticketmaster would lose millions of dollars! I can totally see your point but the thought of them doing that is literally the worst thing that could happen to people who go to a lot of concerts!

 

Do you understand Ticketmaster will STILL sell the tickets, just not to the fans but the agencies who they have deals with. 'Verified fan' being run by Ticketmaster is like asking Hitler to run the Nuremberg trials.!!!! the music industry is corrupt to the core!!!!

[peggytwoten]

Thanks Sherry for doing the research.  I did get my code and easily go the GA tickets that I wanted, but I'm disgusted to think that long time subscribers and verified fans didn't get a code due to a Ticketmaster "lottery".  Getting tickets through the presale is why most of us continue our U2.com membership.  I'm hoping to get tickets for one more show - just hope that the Citibank or General sale will work again for me.  And, obviously, this method to try to keep tickets out of the hands of scalpers hasn't worked - the new system only locked out many long time fans and pissed off many more.