Who’s renewing?
A reminder popped up on my calendar to investigate renewing my U2.com membership for the next year. I usually have these in my scheduler a full 3 months in advance because it’ll remind me to do it.
I was then checking out Ticketmaster to see if there were any Rolling Stones tickets available for their opening night at Fenway Park in Boston (if *only* U2 would play there!), and I see:
“***FREE ROLLING STONES VIRTUAL TICKET FAN CLUB MEMBERSHIP INCLUDED WITH EVERY ROLLING STONES TICKET YOU ORDER THROUGH TICKETMASTER!A Rolling Stones Official Fan Club Virtual Ticket Membership is included with each concert ticket for this tour you order through Ticketmaster. We will send your name and contact information to RollingStones.com so they can activate your membership and send you a welcome email with log-in instructions, and additional emails. ”
So, this got me thinking….U2 are planning on continuing their tour into 2006. Will they offer the same pre-order tickets for those shows as they have for the first 3 legs? Could they throw fans a bone and do what the Stones are doing with their tickets and offer the fan club membership for free? Will they still charge $40/year for the access rights for their fanclub?
There hasn’t been any marketing to current subscribers to U2.com about renewals and any benefits they’d get for renewing their membership. So, I thought I’d do an unscientific poll among the @U2 blog readers - if you’re a member of U2.com, do you plan on renewing, and why?
Sarah Dylan Breuer said,
August 15, 2005 @ 3:20 pm
I’m undecided. I signed up for U2.com membership on the first day it was offered because I wanted access to presales, and as a prior Propaganda member, I did well in the presales for the third leg. That’s good.
But the content of U2.com is pretty awful. @U2 does a much better job, I think, which is pathetic considering that U2.com can afford to hire staffers and pay them well, and has full access to the band.
I’ve been a hardcore fan of U2 since 1984, but I’m not a fan of U2.com.
Phil said,
August 16, 2005 @ 4:50 am
The only two things worth even typing in u2.com is Willie’s Diaries and the pre-sale code. Other than that, there hasn’t much of anything worth mentioning on the site.
So far, U2’s interaction with the fan base, from an official standpoint, has been CRAP. I think it goes along the lines of Propaganda. Well, at least they sent out two free CDs to the fan club. This time around, a few of the memebrs got a shiney metal coaster, aka Fan Member card. Which, appreantly entitles you to hide it in your checked bags when you are flying.
Seriously, what does U2, officially, do to help/support the fan community?
Elisa said,
August 16, 2005 @ 5:32 am
Probably this is not as important as that but I wanted to say it.
The best thing of the U2 concerts is the coherence! We know that the band have their own believes and they don’t hide them. I like this way of being politically active.
In a few weeks I’ll be leaving to Africa once again, to work there, with the African people and the African problems. After yesterday concert in Lisbon I feel that I can go because I’m sure that some one will stay here working hard and persistently for the same cause.
I wish U2 could know that their blind faith showed during the concert helps my faith!
http://muanaelisa.blogspot.com/
myownconga said,
August 16, 2005 @ 8:44 am
I’ll renew because I’m weak. Basically, whatever the case, it’s the U2 fanclub. And I’m a U2 fan. So I want to be a member. I live in hope that things’ll get better, but something tells me they probably won’t. I probably wouldn’t suggest other people joined or renewed, though. It’s an individual choice.
julie said,
August 16, 2005 @ 10:09 am
I will probably renew so that I can hopefully get access to GA tickets for any possible future concerts. I’m not really a “fan club” type of person, so that would be the only reason I would join again.
hibricc said,
August 16, 2005 @ 10:15 am
I’ll renew. I got two sets of tickets through u2.com, which is really all I ever wanted out of it. Too bad there isn’t more “value”, though….
Roeli said,
August 17, 2005 @ 12:49 am
I remember the Stones offering the same deal last time they were in Europe for a farewell tour…d didn’t check it out then, but it sounds like a good deal…
kat said,
August 17, 2005 @ 2:27 pm
meh, I might. I didn’t get really good tickets in the pre-sale, but it’s still better than no tickets. I agree with Phil about the only 2 good things on the site though.
Oh, and as for U2 playing Fenway… I actually hope they don’t. All the tickets to shows there are horribly expensive (I’m sorry, cheap seats for $85?) because the park charges the acts too much, and at least at the Garden there aren’t obstructed views. Well, the *new* Garden doesn’t I should say. If I’m going to be that far away and have an obstructed view I’d rather pay $30 less and see a show at Gillette. Yeah, not too hot on the whole playing in Fenway thing.
macmango said,
August 21, 2005 @ 6:21 am
I would imagine that if a former Propaganda member allowed their current u2.com membership to lapse, they would lose their status permanently. So for the chance of getting first dibs on the 2006+ tour legs, I will renew. As for a ‘bone’ being thrown our way, I suggest a renewal discount and a live cd.