Ticket holders for the late Michael Jackson's planned 50-concert series in London will receive either full refunds or "souvenir tickets." We're not sure what the latter means. Maybe they're bronzed? Laminated? Holograms? [New York Times]
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So in essence, the scalpers who got most of the tickets can now sell them for even more than they would have scalped them for? I slow clap them.
Holograms, actually. (heard this on BBC radio this morning.)
Souvenir tickets just means you get to keep the ticket and not take a refund... What a good deal?!?!
The idea of selling tickets to a tour that will not happen gives Ticketmaster a boner.
They would be the tickets they were to receive anyway. The souvenir label refers to the fact that the tickets won't get them into an actual show of any sort, but they apparently have some "hologram" effect on them, you know how a lot of tickets have those to prove authenticity. The company in charge has stated that they aren't going to be printing more of them for the sake of souvenirs, suggesting that the actual tickets are going to be collector's items. A great plan; I think there are enough insane people to take the deal to cover a huge chunk of the financial losses from this concert series.
A smart idea on the part of the company. While some people would, of course, want their money back, a lot would want the memento (for the moment, at least. Twenty years later, they'll realize it was a dumb idea, but...)
Here's my question: Will they refund all the various fees that come with buying tickets?
AEG Live offers refunds AND 'souvenir' tickets to buyers? Smooth Criminal, indeed.
They have a hologram on them and they where meant for the concert but the other aspect people are missing is they where designed personally by MJ himself.
I think the tickets are a great investment. Why would you want back what you paid when the tickets are now worth more than triple that amount. After all, it is MJ.
@henwy: Tickets from Elvis concerts cancelled because of his death haven't held their value very well.
@Laura Northrup: Not to mention...50 shows in an 23,000 seat arena. That means 1,150,000 tickets. One million of anything is not a limited production.
@Simone Llene Gibbs: When over a million of them exist, it doesn't seem like a really good investment.
I was sort of hoping they'd offer a choice between a full refund or a partial one with tickets sent. From the article, though:
Alternately, customers can receive souvenir tickets for the concerts instead of refunds.
Which... Whoa, what a grasping scam.
They're just the tickets they would have received anyway. Not a bad idea since more than a few fans will take them up on it. Besides, it'll probably be ebay'able as a collectable.