Another Reason Why You Need Some Fricket Help to Shop for Tickets

It's not unheard of to ask your friends for help in getting some tickets to an upcoming concert or game.  In fact, we've found most people do check with their social networks first, before going online and conducting an internet search.  However, most of us don’t have the “connections”, which enable us to pay face value for some of the best seats available, to some the hottest concerts and games, without spending a lot time in-line or online.

The Chicago Tribune recently published a story, which took a look at the practices of some of the larger venues in the Chicago area.  They reported on how some “insiders” have access to special pools of tickets set aside by the venue operators/owners for the communities where the venues are located.   These groups of tickets are often some of the best seats in the house.   The article mentions these tickets are often made available only to the local politicians and to those companies, which do business within the venue’s local community.   Here’s the full article:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-clout-tickets-20131117,0,3457386.story?page=1

We don’t feel there necessarily anything wrong with this practice.  It even probably makes good business sense for the venues to do it, as it likely helps build the necessary strong relationships with the community leaders.  It just makes it harder for those of us who like to get the best seats, and why, with this decrease in supply available to the general public, it makes it more expensive, once you do find them.

We need to bring new tools to the fight for the best tickets!  We built Fricket to help everyone shop for the tickets you want and at the prices you need.   You can compare all of the best secondary ticket brokers in one location; no need to conduct a huge internet search, or contact your local councilman!

Remember… Need tickets?  No insider connections?  No problem! Just Fricket it! http://fricket.com/

It's a Great Time to Shop for Some Fricket Tickets!

 It’s a great time to have some FUN and shop for tickets to GO see all of your favorite teams, bands and shows.  Why? Because Fricket is there to help!  http://fricket.com/  We’ve been working hard to improve our site, and now, we’re ready to turn it loose again for the world to see.   Our goal is to help you shop for the tickets you need, at the prices you want, without the worries of paying too much, or getting ripped-off.  With Fricket, you can compare the best re-sale ticket brokers in one stop.  Side-by-side comparisons, so you’ll feel confidant you’re getting the best prices, all with 100% money-back guarantees.  You’ll be able to get tickets to seats where YOU WANT to sit.  Not just the leftovers.

Our site’s search is location based, so when you visit, first, choose the location where you’re interested in attending an event.  If you just want to see what’s going on, choose “Next Up”, and you’ll see all the great events coming-up in the next 3, 7, or 30 days, for that location.  When searching for your events, you might be surprised and find other events that interest you that are also nearby.  That’s part of what we’re trying to do too.  You can come to Fricket looking for tickets to a specific event, and while shopping for those, you may find other events that you might have missed.

While we’ve made some great improvements, our site still isn’t perfect.  As Coach Vince Lombardi once said, “Perfection is not attainable, but as we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.” That’s what we’re doing here.  We know there are still some things that need to improve, but we need your help find them all, and that’s why we’re re-launching now.  We’re not finished building and have BIG plans for the future.

 

Please take a look around. Let us know what you think and/or have any suggestions.

And, remember, when you need tickets, just Fricket it! http://fricket.com/

Tony Bennett delivers another memorable and fun night in Indiana!

We are lucky to have another special guest posting with a concert review. Bob Schewe has attended his fair share of Jazz concerts, and has even been known to play a little himself.  Enjoy - JMS

Tony Bennett at the Silver Creek Event Center at Four Winds Casino, New Buffalo MI, on August 23, 2013

Tony Bennett had been on my list of iconic performers to see live.  I’ve never regretted paying a great deal for a ticket to see Frank Sinatra in one of his last Las Vegas shows.  Even though his voice was far from vibrant, the style was still there.  But my enthusiasm and urgency to see Tony Bennett live was tempered by his over-exposure for the past ten years or so.  That is, until I heard him sing on television recently and read great reviews about his live performances.  His voice and stage presence remain distinctive and impressive, as they were on this night.

You had two very different options to see Tony in the Chicago area this summer:  outdoors at Ravinia in Highland Park IL, or the following evening at the Four Winds Casino in New Buffalo, MI.   Ravinia was fewer miles to drive, but we decided to make a weekend out of a trip to New Buffalo, and it was about the same time in the car (75 minutes) as driving to Ravinia.   The two venues couldn’t be more different, but suffice it to say we were willing to overlook the negatives of the Silver Creek Event Center  -- which is basically just a large multi-purpose meeting room with no elevations except for the last few rows -- to avoid the bigger drawbacks one faces with Ravinia traffic, parking, access, long walks to restrooms, and crowd size.

The experience at Silver Creek Event Center could be viewed in a couple of ways.  You could look at it as more appropriate for a keynote or inspirational speaker at a corporate convention.  Or you could look at it as an intimate setting for a special private concert for you and 1500 of Tony’s fans.  With Tony’s cabaret repertoire, a hint of tobacco smoke wafting in from the casino, and just a small on-stage ensemble, my frame of mind was definitely the latter.  The video projection was first-rate even if the sight lines to the stage weren’t, and the staff and bartenders were professional and seemed happy to serve the most reasonably-priced drinks you’ll find at a concert (one benefit of the casino).

Things kicked off on schedule at 9:00 PM with Antonia Bennett performing a 20 minute set that was light and breezy, not much more.  She introduced her father, and an hour of some very fine jazzy crooning began with Tony doing a couple of age-defying 360-degree twirls on stage.  Antonia returned mid-way through for a too-quick duet (Sondheim’s “Old Friends”) that was really fun to see.

The four musicians (piano, bass, drum, guitar) backing Tony were seasoned pros, and that’s an understatement.  Tony let them take their solo turns, as he took a breather (whether needed or not).  It was all just really tight and highly entertaining.  The pianist-conductor, Lee Musiker, was masterful, and I wanted his solos to go on even longer.

No one song stood out for me as better or more remarkable than another.  They were all crowd pleasers, and Tony seemed to avoid making any one of them into the evening’s climax.  He did one encore which ended with “Smile,” so we didn’t get the last two songs on the set list (see below)  Maybe we didn’t applaud Antonia enough?  But Tony’s and my mission was accomplished:  it was a memorable and fun night in the Silver Creek cabaret. -Bob Schewe

Remember whenever you need great tickets to any concert, theater show or sporting event, Just Fricket It!   http://fricket.com/

Tony Bennett Set List

Maroon 5, Kelly Clarkson and Rozzi Crane rock Chicago

Seeing Maroon 5 was on my wife’s “bucket list” of bands she wanted to see live, so we took the  opportunity recently to go see “M5” at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheater, in the Chicago suburb of Tinley Park.  Kelly Clarkson and newcomer, Rozzi Crane were the opening acts on this leg of “The Honda Civic Tour.”  Kelly was actually listed as the “co-headliner” given her deep library of hits, which explains why this summer’s tour is being called one of the most successful since the tour began in 2001.

It was beautiful summer night and with the concert scheduled to start at 7pm, gates opening at 6pm and parking at 5pm, we arrived at venue’s parking lot around 5:45pm.  Getting INTO the lot was a breeze (while getting out was like swimming in concrete, but more on that later.)  There’s Gate 1, and if you miss that one, like we did, there’s another gate just down the road.   When you enter, they give you the option of paying an extra $30 for premium parking.  We didn’t do this, since we were plenty early.  It looks like it puts you a bit closer to the venue, but they also might make it easier for you to get out after the concert, and avoid swimming in concrete, but more on that later.  We opted for the general parking, a vast gravel landscape, since that cost was already included in the ticket price.  After taking note of where we parked, (when it’s dark after the concert, you’ll be glad you did) we walked towards the amphitheater.  Long lines had already formed, but moved quickly once they opened the gates at 6pm.

Right at 7pm, Rozzi Crane’s drummer dropped a beat, and the 21yr-old singer came on stage like she’s been doing this forever.  Rozzi was the first artist to be signed to Adam Levine’s newly formed “222 Records.”  Her musical style seems to blend R&B, Pop, Hip-Hop and, I guess, a bit Alternative too.   She sang her first single off her soon-to-be-released debut album (I can’t remember the title but we all liked it) , plus “Crazy Ass Bitch”, and then covering Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On”, and Destiny’s Child “Say My Name.”  She gave a strong, entertaining 30 minute performance, despite the distraction of a still filling-in venue.

Kelly was up next and what can we say?  Kelly was Kelly.  She was so fantastic that I wasn’t sure how the fans in the “mosh pit” next to the stage could get any louder, and still make it through to M5!  (they did!)  Kelly has sold over 20m albums worldwide, with 84-number ones on the Billboard charts, with 11 number one singles worldwide, and she showed why tonight.   Using a little “AC/DC” for some prelim-intro music, Kelly brought the huge crowd up with songs such as, “Stronger”, “Catch My Breath”.   She even got caught-up in the moment a bit, with all the support coming from the 20k+ fans.   In between songs, she showed her sense of self-deprecating humor, talking about getting engaged recently, and about NOT being pregnant, but just carrying some holiday weight.   She vented on her critics through “Mr. Know It All,” displaying on the huge screen behind her, what I assume were all the negative comments she’s received over the years.  After seeing her live for the first time tonight, I find it hard to believe you could ever say anything negative about her singing and performing.   She knocked it out of the ballpark with her last song of the night, the Grammy winning “Since U Been Gone.”

After Kelly’s forceful performance, the crowd was stoked for even more and Maroon 5 delivered with the heights of Adam Levine’s vocals (and guitar playing too), the extremely talented and fast-fingered James Valentine on lead guitar, Matt Flynn’s pounding drums, Mickey Madden’s thumping bass, and the stand-out keyboards of PJ Morton.   They started with “One More Night” ”This Love” and then later “Harder to Breathe” before covering Prince’s “I Wanna Be Your Lover” and Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky.”  I admit that while I have enjoyed M5’s music for years when it comes on the radio, I’m not the kind of fan that knows all their songs by heart.  I usually knew the choruses, but that’s about it.  Apparently, I was in the small minority this night, as fans, mostly women, of all ages sang along with each song.  Adam was often able to pass the mic to his massive audience and let them carry-on.   The laser light show was also very effective, especially when reflecting off the huge beach balls Adam had kicked off the stage and were getting passed around.  Valentine’s incredible guitar was a perfect match Levine’s gymnast like vocals going onward and upward!

With it getting close to 11pm and the end of the concert, the band seemed to draw on the energy still flowing through the audience, and finished up with a flurry of hits “Moves Like Jagger” “Payphone” “She Will Be Loved” and “Daylight” , their hit number one single off their latest album “Overexposed.”  The crowd was spent and tired, but a good tired.  The moshers had been moshed.  We were all thoroughly entertained and stimulated beyond our expectations.

The concert was awesome.  If you get the opportunity to go see Maroon 5, Kelly Clarkson and/or Rozzi Crane live in concert, do it. The weather was perfect.  Getting into the venue was easy.  BUT leaving was a different story.  We got back to our car a little after 11pm.  We did not, and could not, move for 35 minutes, due to the back-up getting out.  We didn’t leave the parking lot till after midnight, AND then the route they gave us led us in the opposite direction of the way we needed to go.   Without GPS, we might still be driving around Tinley Park looking for way home.  I would suggest being prepared for this, as we will definitely look into alternative parking locations next time!

Remember when you need great tickets too all the hot concerts and sporting events, just Fricket it! http://fricket.com/

Summer Music Festivals: What's Left After the Music Stops?

Another guest post from our experienced music festival reporter Ellie Brzezenski

I love summer for so many reasons, but most importantly because summer means festival season. A few years ago, there were only a handful of staple summer concerts across the country, but now anyone with true dedication (and a bottomless wallet) can go to one pretty much every weekend Memorial Day through Labor Day. I love seeing the growth of live music culture; with so few people, including myself, buying CDs or MP3s anymore, it’s good to know people are willing to pay for music in live form.

However, I’m left to wonder about the impact these festivals have on their surrounding areas. No doubt, festival weekends bring in great business for local restaurants, hotels, and shops, but what about the environmental impacts? I recently attended Governor’s Ball in New York.  Due to rainy weather on the first day, the grounds were completely destroyed and muddy for the rest of the weekend. It was so bad I gave up wearing socks Saturday and Sunday, instead choosing to wrap my feet in plastic bags inside my forever-soggy boots. Walking around Sunday, I saw water bottles, shoes, and even umbrellas stuck it the hardened mud—fossils documenting the soon to be over festival.

I wondered how long the festival grounds would talk to recover—and if severe damage can be expected every year, what kind of long-term effects can be expected? According to Crain’s Chicago Business, it cost promoters and the Chicago Park District  $350,000 to repair the Grant Park after Lollapalooza in 2012. Seem like a lot? Apparently it cost over 1 million in 2011.  Newer festivals are sometime exempt from paying clean up costs in their first few years as a way to keep from going under. However this poses the question, which is more important, the festival or festival grounds?

It’s something to consider this summer when attending any concert or festival. Obviously, there is no way to control the weather, but there are simply ways to make your festival experience better for yourself and those to come after you.

1. Bring a water bottle- Most if not all allow visitors to bring empty water bottles into the festival and have free filling stations next to food and drink tents. Bringing a reusable bottle cuts down on trash and waste

2. Hold on to your trash- For some of us, it’s tempting to throw our trash down on the ground in the middle of a crowd instead of looking for trash receptacles. This is not only terrible for the grounds, but smashed trash is also a pain to stand on and takes volunteers longer to clean up

3. Know what you can and can’t bring- Before you go, make sure you know what is and isn’t allowed in the festival grounds. That way, you don’t have to throw out your stuff unnecessarily and create excess waste.  -eb

Remember, when you need tickets to any music festival, sporting event or theater...

Just Fricket it! http://fricket.com/

Review- Another Sold-Out "Fitz and the Tantrums" Show at the Metro in Chicago

We are so happy to have our famous blogger back writing posts for us here at Fricket.  Ellie Brzezenski, wrote some fantastic posts for us on last year's Lollapalooza Music Fest.  She has since graduated from the U. of Illinois and one of things she'll be doing us now is covering some of the great events in Chicago, and elsewhere.  Here's her first-hand report on a recent concert at the Metro.

Fitz and the Tantrums played their second sold-out show Wednesday night at the Metro. Though the band mates are no strangers to Chicago (their last stint through Chicago also sold out) they enthusiastically expressed their love for the crowd.  “It’s great to have such genuine people and real music lovers here tonight,” beamed “Fitz”, aka lead singer Michael Fitzpatrick.  The admiration was no doubt mutual.

The night opened with a short performance by Ivy Levan.  I had no idea what to expect when the singer approached the stage with a platinum blonde “up do” and bedazzled pants, but I was pleasantly surprised.  Though I didn’t understand why the band chose to wear ski masks the entire performance, I hardly paid much attention once they got into their groove.  If you, like me, had never heard of "Ivy" before, the best two words to describe her would be “Bad Bitch.”  Her powerful and melodic vocals pairs well with her "get up" and her lyrics about drinking, friendship, and not taking crap from anyone.  One adoring fan in the crowd held up a sign that read “I’ll hold your hair back while you drink vodka—Chicago loves Ivy!” which she obviously enjoyed.

The second opener was an indie rock band called Saints of Vallory from Austin, Texas.  They also seemed relatively unknown, minus the cheering crowd of high school girls in the upstairs seating area.  Their performance was pretty underwhelming, and they left very little impression on the crowd.  Maybe it was the growing anticipation for Fitz, but their performance left something to be desired.

Finally, the main act took the stage around 11pm. They opened with “Keeping Our Eyes Shut” and this got the crowd instantly dancing.  Though they have just released their sophomore album “More Than Just a Dream”, they played a handful of songs from their 2010 release “Picking up the Pieces” including “Dear Mr. President” and “Winds of Change”.  Vocalist Noelle Scaggs rocked her vocals and kept the crowd going with her dance moves and the occasional scream of “Chicago, where you at??”

I have to say, if there was ever a band that loves their fans as much as they enjoy performing, Fitz and the Tantrums is that band.  Their love for what they do, and each other, is obvious in every song.  They’re a band you want to stick around for after the show, not only because they’re great musicians, but because you want to be friends with them - and they want to be friends with you too!  After finishing their set, Fitz came back on stage for the encore wearing a Blackhawks jersey.  Having seen audience members stream the game on their phones during the set breaks, I knew the gesture was appreciated.  No doubt, Fitz and the Tantrums had a great run at the Metro and have a second home here in the Windy City any time they want to come back. -E.B.

Remember, when you need tickets to any great concert, sporting event or theater show, just go Fricket it! http://www.fricket.com/

Game 7: Who Will Be Sitting in Your Seat?

Game 7 of the NBA Finals is tonight in Miami.  The Heat vs Spurs has been a great series, featuring  some of the best, if not the best, basketball players and teams for quite some time.  Your favorite team playing in a Game 7 of the finals of any sport is pretty rare for most of us, and would, you would think, be a great opportunity to have tickets to the big game, so you could go see it, right?  Or, would you be tempted to sell them?  If the price is right, do you care who will be sitting in your seat?

Owning season tickets to a pro sports team is not an inexpensive hobby.  You must hand over a significant amount of money, up-front, before each season and playoff series to secure your seats.  What if you could sell your seats for tonight's Game 7 and recoup a significant amount of what you've spent?  As of this writing, the cheapest tickets for a seat are available around $500 in the upper deck, while court side seats are being offered at $60,000 each.  If you don't want a seat, SRO is around $400.

What if you did sell your tickets to someone who gets photographed telling the other team that they're the opposite of "number one" , as we've seen a few times recently.  Would that matter to you?  The CEO of Ticketmaster, Nathan Hubbard, said on Twitter that 45-50% of the people with tickets to tonight's game are not the original owners.  Does that explain why so many of the Heat's 'fans" left Game 6 early when their team fell behind by 5 points with 28.2 seconds to go in regulation?

Tonight's Game 7 should be a great game, and, if it is, will be touted as one of the greatest ever by those who have to call every great Game 7 the greatest ever.  The NHL Stanley Cup Finals are also in progress and very well could go to a Game 7 too, which would be played in Chicago.  Will the loyal Blackhawks season tickets holders be there, or will they be tempted by an offer to good to refuse?

Remember, for all you sports, concerts and theater tickets, compare all the best ticket sites with one search! Just Fricket it!  http://fricket.com/

WSJ: U.S. Workers Are Becoming More Risk Averse. Really? Well, We're Still Fricket All In.

This Fricket blog usually focuses on interesting subjects (at least we think so) about the world of live entertainment.  However, today we want take a step back and talk about life as a start-up business.  As you probably know, Fricket http://fricket.com/ is a Chicago based start-up company.  Our web-based app helps everyone shop for tickets to sports, concerts and theater events.  We operate in the secondary, or "resale," ticket market and have been called the "Kayak" of event tickets because we aggregate the best ticketing sites into one location.  We save you time and money, and that's important because tickets are expensive.  There's no need to pay more than you have to, and, if you want to sit in the front row, you should have a way to get those seats too, and not just settle for what's leftover at the box office.

There are a lot of risks to starting this business; we're working full-time on this and bootstrapping, the ticket market is mature and competition is fierce, co-founders have left and new team members have come on board and it's been a continuing struggle to get the v1.1 of Fricket.com developed, to name just a few, but we think it's a great idea, the market opportunity is huge and it's worth the risks.  As the title of this blog suggests, we're Fricket all in.

The reason we're describing all this is because of what we see as an increasing change of attitude towards start-up companies and risk taking, in general.  While start-up founders know the odds are stacked against them, and failure is likely, this is often glossed over by many who want to focus on the "big winners", or dressing like Mark Zuckerberg everyday, or the great food in the company's cafeteria, or all the stock options.  Recently, however, we've seen more written about, and more start-up people we know,  returning to the "normal, 9-5" job.  Some will still work on their ideas part-time and some will not.  Maybe our sample size is too small, but even the "main-stream media" is catching wind of it.  On the front page of Monday's WSJ, "Risk-Averse Culture Infects U.S. Workers, Entrepreneurs." http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324031404578481162903760052.html?mod=ITP_pageone_0#articleTabs%3Darticle You definitely hear and read more stories about "zombie" companies who just won't die, and previously active seed-stage to Series A type of investors/VC's who haven't made an investment in years.

What's also interesting too, is the amount of praise we still heap on the risk-takers.  You can't go too far today without hearing about how the very successful founder of an electric car company, is "All-In" on his car venture http://www.thestreet.com/story/11925781/1/elon-musk-going-all-in-on-tesla.html (BTW he also wants to eventually send us all to Mars too.) He's seems to be perceived as someone who "can do almost anything." He made a good chunk of change on his previous ventures, but he still continues to risk it on bigger and bigger ideas.  He's seen as a "hero" by most, and even as a role-mode for a popular fictional super-hero character in several big-budget movies

Have U.S. workers really lost their risk taking "mojo" ?  We think one of the big reasons outside capital invests, and talented workers flow into, the U.S. is because we've made it a habit over the years of generating a ROI greater, and safer, than anywhere else.  We're risk takers by nature and it would take a lot (time, especially) for that to change.  We've studied and seen a lot economic cycles over the years, and that's what this feels like.  We think we're still taking risks, it's just that those risks might be a bit different.

Statistics seem to say we're staying in our jobs longer, not moving around geographically as much, not starting as many new businesses, which is because more workers are getting older and would rather take the relative safety of a larger, more established company, over a risky start-up  i.e. enjoy the 2+ weeks vacation and weekends off.  Most people have, and will, continue to work for somebody else.  Not everyone can, or should, be a leader and the founder of a company. On the other hand, everyone understands no job is completely safe today either, and that their position could be eliminated overnight.  I'm sure it was just a coincidence, but Zynga also announced today it was cutting 18% of its workforce.  Perhaps, this is a different type of risk workers now build into their decisions?  Are there more risks today from having little or no job security?...from more government regulation?...from your bonus being eliminated because another department had a "bad" year?...from your 401k being wiped-out in another market "correction" ?...from all us planning like we're going to be working till we're 80+?...from all of us being able to pay for healthcare, not only for ourselves but maybe also our parents and kids?..from our state government possibly going bankrupt?  There's only so much risk we can take!

Take away or mitigate some of these risks, and we think we'll see another wave of entrepreneurial risk taking and the financing to back it.  Until then, the start-up numbers might be discouraging, but many, like us, will still take the "start-up plunge" anyway.   Don't call us risk averse because we are ALL Fricket all in there!

How to be a Visiting Team's Fan.

At any game between at least two teams, there are naturally going to be supporters, or fans ("fanatics") of all teams in attendance.  While the focus should be on the actual game, sometimes the competition, and sometimes violence, between their fans in the stands draws unwanted attention.  Usually, with a few exceptions, there are a lot more fans of the "home" team in attendance than there are for the "visiting" team.  If you find yourself at game, where you're an outnumbered fan of the visiting team, how do you root for your team without provoking the home-team competition's fans?  Here are some tips...

I live near a city with multiple pro sports teams.  However, I didn't grow up here, and I'm not a supporter of all the city's teams.  In fact, I happen to support teams that are the major rivals of two of this city's most popular teams, but that doesn't stop me from the enjoyment of seeing my team when they're in town.  I regularly attend games where my team is the visiting team, and I've had very few uncomfortable moments.  In fact many more good interactions than bad (despite my team usually winning :)  )

If you want to stay completely undercover, and not draw any immediate attention to yourself,  I would suggest avoid wearing any of your team's gear, eg. jersey, hats, sweatshirts, etc. to the game.  I know you paid a lot for all of it, and it is your right to wear it, but, needless to say, it's a dead giveaway that you're the "enemy" and you might become a target of attention. Good and bad.  The good, I've had numerous lively, but respectful, conversations with rival fans.  The bad, usually involves a random.. "(insert your team here) s&%ks! " being yelled within earshot.  I usually do wear my team's colors, so I go expecting something, and it doesn't bother me.  If it bothers you, or any your family members you happen to be with, I would suggest wearing something more neutral.

Even if you're wearing neutral colors, it will eventually become somewhat apparent to the fans around you that you're the enemy, if you're consistently verbally supporting the visitors, and "booing" the home team.  I've found that cheering for your team respectively is fine, but cheering against the home team, can draw unwanted attention, especially in traditionally "heated rivalries."  Cheer good plays on both sides, and you should be fine.

It's important for the visiting fan to "understand" the importance of the particular game too.  Is it a high tension playoff game, or are both teams in last place and playing out the season?  Is there a history of violence between rival fans in the stands?  If so, and you want to wear your team's colors to the game, go to the game with a buddy or a group of fans, and stay together before, during and after the game.  Many teams offer group packages to fans that want to travel on the road with them, to have strength in numbers.

I think going to the game with your family and/or buddies is great and can build great memories.  If you support the visiting team, just remember you're in someone else's "house," so be respectful and expect to meet others with different "opinions."  It's ok to disagree, and shake hands afterwards.

Remember, if you want great tickets to all the great games, concerts, and theater events, just Fricket it! http://fricket.com/

 

 

 

MLB: Does a Big Payroll Mean More Wins and Fans in the Stands?

For MLB franchises, does a big payroll mean more wins for the big league teams and more fans in the stands?  With 30 MLB teams and an average MLB franchise value of US$744m, early on through April,18, payrolls don't necessarily mean more wins, but the fans are still filling the stands.

Based on the published Forbes Franchise Values, MLB Attendance data from ESPN http://espn.go.com/mlb/attendance  to measure the fans in the stands, and MLB information on team payroll, here's how things look....

Lets look at the American League first.  Here's how the data is formatted:

Current MLB standings - 2013 (W/L) Record - Forbes Franchise Value (US$) (MLB rank) - Avg.Home Attendance (MLB rank) - Team Payroll (US$) (MLB rank)

AL East

1. Red Sox  - (11-4) - $1.3B (3) - 33,543 (9) -  $140m (5)

2. Yankees - (8-6) - $2.3B (1) - 38,731 (6) - $203m (2)

3. Orioles -  (8-7) - $618m (17) - 30,009 (16) - $91m (15)

4. Blue Jays - (7-9) - $568m (21) - 30,317 (15) - $117m (9)

5. Rays - (5-10) - $451m (30) - 22,838 (22) - $58m (28)

AL Central

1. Tigers - (9-6) -  $643m (13) - 35,787 (8) - $148m (4)

2. Royals - (8-6) - $457m (29) - 20,984 (24) - $ 79m (20)

3. Twins - (6-7) - $578m (20) - 26,487 (21) - $76m (21)

4. White Sox - (7-9) - $692m (11) - 20,790 (26) - $120m (8)

5. Indians - (5-9) - $559m (23) - 15,517 (30) - $74m (23)

AL West

1. A's - (12-4) - $468m (28) - 19,309 (28) - $60m (27)

2. Rangers - (9-6) - $764m (8) - 37,246 (7) - $113m (11)

3. Mariners - (7-10) - $644m (12) - 18,841 (29) - $73m (24)

4. Angels - (4-10) - $718m (9) - 40,146 (4) - $128m (7)

5. Astros - (4-11) - $626m (16) - 22,267 (23) - $21m (30)

And now, here's the National League:

Current MLB standings - 2013 (W/L) Record - Forbes Franchise Value (US$) (MLB rank) - Avg.Home Attendance (MLB rank) - Team Payroll (US$) (MLB rank)

NL East

1. Braves - (13-2) - $629m (15) - 32,649 (10) - $90m (16)

2. Nationals - (9-6) - $631m (14) - 31,662 (12) - $114m (10)

3. Mets - (7-7) - $811m (6) - 28,000 (18) - $74m (22)

4. Phillies - (6-10) - $893m (5) - 39,441 (5) - $171m (3)

5. Marlins - (3-13) - $520m (26) - 19,586 (27) - $36m (29)

NL Central

1. Cardinals - (9-6) - $716m (10) - 41,637 (3) - $103m (14)

2. Reds - (9-7) - $546m (24) - 27,439 (19) - $109m (12)

3. Pirates - (7-8) - $479m (27) - 20,901 (25) - $80m (19)

4. Brewers - (6-8) - $562m (22) - 30,901 (13) - $89m (18)

5. Cubs - (5-9) - $1B (4) - 32,007 (11) - $107m (13)

NL West

1. Rockies - (11-4) - $537m (25) - 30,603 (14) - $71m (25)

2. Diamondbacks - (9-6) - $584m (19) - 29,044 (21) - $90m (17)

3. Giants - (9-7) - $786m (7) - 41,638 (2) - $136m (6)

4. Dodgers - (7-8) - $1.6B (2) - 47,112 (1) - $220m (1)

5. Padres - (5-10) - $600m (18) - 27,427 (20) - $66m (26)

Remember, when you need great seats to any MLB game, just GO Fricket it!  http://fricket.com/

Opening Day Shows Baseball is in Great Shape

The reviews and results of Opening Day shows baseball is in great shape.  Attendance was solid and the young stars of the league continued to emerge.  There are still the aging veterans earning large salaries, but the tidal wave of young talent behind them is huge.

League attendance in 2012 was 74.8m, up 2% from 2011 and the 5th best single-season in league history.  2013 has started off on a good note.  Opening weekend attendance ranged from just over 36k in Oakland, for the Athletics vs Mariners, to over 53k in Los Angeles for the Dodgers vs Giants.  The 2013 average opening day crowd -1 game Sunday night and 12 on Monday - was almost 44k.  Here's a link to ESPN's attendance data: http://espn.go.com/mlb/attendance

Like any business, the league needs young superstars to build upon.  Like, 20 year old, 2012 NL Rookie of the Year, Bryce Harper in Washington.  He started yesterday where he left off in 2012, by hitting 2 home-runs in his first 2 at-bats.  Pitching is once again dominate early in the season.  Harper's teammate, 24 yr old Stephen Strasburg pitched 7 shutout innings and gave up only 3 hits.  The White Sox 24 yr old Chris Sale and 25 yr old LA Dodger Clayton Kershaw also threw impressive shut-outs in their 2013 debuts.  2012 AL Rookie of the Year, 21 yr old Mike Trout of LA Angels, went 1-6 in a game where even someone like his teammate Albert Pujols went 0-4, yet the Angels still won the game.  There are very high expectations for this duo in LA.

MLB had revenues of close to $7.5B in 2012 and, with the new TV contracts and growing international audience, this expected to grow to $9B by 2014. If "Opening Day" is any indication, baseball will have no trouble getting there.

Remember, if you need great tickets to any baseball game, concert or theater, just Fricket it! http://fricket.com/

 

 

Which NBA Conference is the HOTTEST?

Which NBA Conference enters the playoffs the hottest?  The Chicago Bulls (36-31) lost at home tonight, 99-89, to the Portland Trailblazers (32-36).  With this victory, the Blazers IMPROVE to 10-25 on the road this season.  With 15 games left, and the 8 playoff spots pretty much set, is the NBA's Eastern Conference, besides the Miami Heat, on "cruise control" and just waiting for the playoffs?

Nobody remembers who wins the regular season anyway, right?  Here are the current conference standings: http://www.nba.com/standings/team_record_comparison/conferenceNew_Std_Cnf.html

However, are the Heat under extra pressure now to keep playing hard just to extend "The Streak", now at 24,  while the rest of the Eastern Conference takes a rest?  How will this affect the NBA Champs in their bid to repeat?

In the Western Conference, there are still some playoff spots open.  Over the last 10 games, the Eastern Conference is 67-83 , with the Heat obviously being 10-0 over that period.  At the same time, the Western Conference was 85-65, with the Denver Nuggets going 10-0 over that period...Stay tuned...Not sure how all this will turn out...

When you need great tickets to sports, concerts and theater, JUST GO Fricket it! http://fricket.com/

March is a time for "Madness!"

March is a time for "Madness," or so it seems.  Since it's March 1, we wanted to write a quick post as a heads-up on the upcoming NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, aka "March Madness," or that time of year, when your co-worker "Pete"  hands (or emails) you a document with a several brackets with schools' names listed.  He tells you to fill it out, encouraging you with, "you just might win this year!" and laughs as he walks away with your "entry fee" cash. We've read where betting on this tournament is second only to the Super Bowl, with around an estimated $3B wagered in office pools alone.

So, if this is you, and you have not been paying much attention to the results and rankings thus far, now is the perfect time to tune in and not embarrass yourself at work.  March 17, is selection Sunday, or, the day when the teams are announced and 1st Round match-ups are determined. From now till then, many of the teams will be finishing their regular season and then playing in their conference tournaments.  Watch how they're playing now and how deep they go in their conference's tourney; 3 of the last 5 NCAA Champions have also won their conference tournaments.

The tournament begins March 19 and ends April 8, with Championship game at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Start doing some homework now and maybe "Pete" won't be laughing so much when hands you your winnings!

Remember, when you need tickets, JUST GO Fricket it! http://fricket.com/

Grammys could be a preview of the upcoming music fest season.

We got a chance to see, and hear, a good mix of the new and the familiar at the Grammys last night.  As written about in today’s WSJ, on an evening more about showcasing “musical interludes” than awards, even some the artists themselves were hearing  some of these talented newcomers for the first time.  We particularly liked the “unique collaborations” between the generations/genres; not only Elton John and Ed Sheeran, but also Zac Brown and Mavis Staples, Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z, Bruno Mars with Sting, Rihanna, and others.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324196204578296850261239668.html?mod=ITP_marketplace_2

The variety of the music we heard at the Grammys, all in one location, and opportunities for special “one-of-a kind” musical moments, reminds us of what we can expect from the upcoming music festival season.  Listening to your favorite artists’ music on your chosen tech device, hearing it performed the same way over and over, is pretty convenient.  However, nothing beats the excitement of hearing the music “fresh” and live, with all your new “friends,” discovering the new and upcoming, and with the possibilities of “you had to be there” and “were you at…when…” moments.

Mark your calendars.  The 2013 Music and Arts Festival Season is going to be a BIG! Want tickets? Make sure you Fricket it! http://fricket.com/

EDM: "This isn't something you can listen to alone!"

Electric Dance Music (EDM) has come a long way since its early days, near the end of the disco era of the late 70’s - early 80’s.  It was called “techno,” “electro,” or “house” music back then.  Concerts were called “raves” and developed a reputation for excessive drug use and mob violence.  Law enforcement and other public officials, naturally, didn’t take to kindly to these “un-regulated’ “under-supervised” gatherings, and, while this may have added to the music’s and raves’ popularity, it was difficult way to run a business.  

Today’s EDM is an industry that has learned from its mistakes and is now a $4B+ (and growing) business.   As the WSJ article below points out, cities and big business advertisers, now welcome the young demographic of the massive crowds, and the money they bring, and work hand in hand with big-time promoters and DJ’s.   A Festival is more marketable than a rave.  They’re also better organized, have better sound and staging systems, have better security, and while there’s still issues with illegal substances (“Molly” and others), today’s festivals give EDM the space it needs to stay original and relevant to its fans.  

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323539804578261912813133582.html?mod=WSJ_LifeStyle_Lifestyle_5#articleTabs%3Darticle


The essence of EDM is being there live, physically sharing that unique moment with the other people around you, instead of the “everyday virtual.”  At Fricket, we feel whether you’re going to attend one of this summer’s huge outdoor music and arts festivals, an NBA or NHL game, or the small jazz club in your neighborhood,  “Life is Better Live” so get out there, and Fricket live!  http://fricket.com/

Plan Now for Your Summer 2013 Music Festivals!

Nothing beats seeing your favorite artist performing the songs you love LIVE on stage, or discovering a new band that hits all your right notes.  Music festivals are great for this and we’re all lucky that there are more and more to attend each year.  The most popular ones tend to sell-out quickly at the box office, but because Fricket’s ticket partners are the best, we’ll likely have all you need. Get out your calendars because the Summer of 2013 will be great!  To get you started, here’s only a partial list of fests.  Let us know of others and your favorites.  Drop us an email at Fricket@Fricket.com and hopefully we’ll see you there!

Coachella - Indio, CA - 2 weekends - April,12-14 and April, 19-21 - Multiple music genres

http://www.coachella.com/index.php

Country Thunder - Florence, AZ - April, 11-14 - Country music

http://arizona.countrythunder.com/

Bonnaroo - Manchester, TN - June, 13-16 - Multiple music genres

http://www.bonnaroo.com/

Country USA - Oshkosh, WI - June, 25-29 - Country music

http://www.countryusaoshkosh.com/lineup.cfm

Electric Forest - Rothbury, MI - June, 27-30 - Multiple music genres

http://electricforestfestival.com/

Country Fest - Candott, WI - June, 27-30 - Country music

http://www.countryfest.com/

Country Thunder - Twin Lakes, WI - July, 18-21 - Country musiic

http://wisconsin.countrythunder.com/

Rock Fest - Candott, WI - July, 18-21 - Rock music

http://www.rock-fest.com/

Pitchfork - Chicago, IL - July, 19-21 - Multiple genre/Indie music

http://pitchforkmusicfestival.com/

Lollapalooza - Chicago, IL - August, 2-4 - Multiple music genre

http://www.lollapalooza.com/

 

 

 

 

 

Is An Undefeated Season Even Possible Today?

The WSJ analyzed the difficulties faced by a college basketball team today to go an entire season undefeated. It has been 37 years since Indiana University had the last undefeated season. Since then, things have changed a bit.  We now have a 3 point shot, a 35 second shot-clock, fewer scholarships, more games played in a season, and the NBA regularly takes the best underclassmen. The article mentions the teams today also face additional pressure from the outside.  24/7 media coverage and social media means more money and international recruiting, but there's also no hiding.  Every second of every play gets analyzed.

I think an undefeated season is less probable today.  Just like in the NFL, going undefeated would be nice, but the big thing today, is playing well enough in the regular season to make it into the postseason. There seems to be a feeling in coaching that losses build character and takes some pressure off a team, all with hopes they play their best when it really counts. Every team has an off night, and come on, we're talking about 18-22 year olds, student athletes, who knows what they might be thinking!

Here's the article:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324391104578229792364115214.html?mod=ITP_personaljournal_4#articleTabs%3Darticle

Remember, when you need tickets, Just GO Fricket it!http://fricket.com/

NHL: With strike over, which team will win The Cup this year?

Now that the strike is over, we can finally talk about more important things eg. NHL Playoffs. The Hockey News gives us their analysis on which teams should do the best with the shortened season. (They like the Penguins and Blues.) Here's the full article, plus more news on the settlement.

http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/48196-The-Hockey-News-201213-NHL-regular-season-predictions.html

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/nhl-union-make-progress-marathon-talks-18141989#.UOpRPXfNmSo

Remember, for the best NHL and NBA tickets, Just GO Fricket it! http://fricket.com/