NO MORE MEET and GREETS

[luvaj10]

  I just wanted everyone to know that I received an answer from the fan club regarding the disappearance of the  Meet and Greet sign-up section.  They told me they are no longer offering them for fan club members.  They didn't answer my question as to WHY.  I wanted to ask, "why, what did we do ?"  If you notice, they are not available for any of the VIP tickets either.  I feel so bad about this.  There was an excitement of waiting and wondering if you would be chosen.  After being a fan for SO long it was a dream to myself and to many others to meet him.  I don't know what
Happened and wish they could just give an answer to the question.  If anyone has any ideas let me know.  I did get to meet him last year and he was so nice! I thank God I did! 

[Alanfan]

That is very sad that there are no more meet and greets but I'm sure there is a good reason for it.  I don't question that sort of thing but will miss the chance to meet Alan if I ever had one.  He works hard pleasing his fans and maybe he is not well.  It's not any of my business unless they decide to tell us the reason why.  I'm not being sarcastic.  I just know there's a serious reason and wish Alan the best of health.  I hope Denise and the kids are well also.

I'll be happy to wait as I have not met him yet and maybe never will.  But that will not stop me from going to his concerts as long as they are at a place with elevators that can deal with my handicap.  I so Love Alan.  He keeps my weary heart going when I see him.

I wish him much luck in the future and Hall of Fame membership.

ALANFAN

[Somebody]

Sorry to hear this. There has to be a good reason but we may never know and we can only guess. Happy for everyone who has had the chance to stand beside him for a moment. He's always going to have a place in this ol' girls heart. It's nice to know that so many still go to the shows even without meet n greets. Alan and his music will forever be a part of my life .

[bb2832]

Oh no...I too have NEVER met him but always dreamed of it. Seems like he was talking directly to me and my friends in Kentucky two years ago as we held up our "INDY LOVES ALAN" sign.

[luvaj10]

He is the nicest guy.  Those meet and greets can have 50 or more people there trying to meet him.  That's got to be so tiring for him!  I was also concerned about his safety and having enough security around him.  As fan club members, we are all respectful people.  You never know about who the other people are in the line or what they are like.  Some of them appeared very drunk and disorderly!  Whatever the reason, he was awesome and it was so worth my 15 year wait!  I was able to tell him that I share the same birthday with his wife Denise. He said "April 6th right?" I kidded with him and told him not to forget to send me my birthday card next year.  He laughed a lot about that and said he would!  I had his road manager laughing and also one of his sisters!  I walked out if there saying "wow, I made Alan Jackson laugh". I will never forget that night!

[okiejacksonfan]

So sad to hear this.  We all always wanted to win!  I was privileged to get to meet him a few times but do know he is shy and didn't like meet and greets.....but WE sure did!  It's our only chance to tell him we appreciate his music!  Just now renewed my FC membership before seeing this bad news confirmed...guess it will be only for tickets now :-(

[vamp1227]

So sad to hear this..I have been trying so hard for a M&G for years..guess that won't happen now..One of my dreams was to shake his hand and thank him for giving us so much..and to have my picture taken with him..always waited excited and hoping to get that email to say I was chosen for a M&G..so sad to hear they stopped them..

[Music44]

I, too,  am very sad about no more M&Gs   But, I'm  sure there is a very good reason for this decision. Guess I'll have to be happy just seeing/hearing AJ on stage at his concerts.  Looking forward to his "Celebrate Virginia" concert August 23....will continue to be a fan of him and his music!!!

Music44

[BIGHUSKERSRED]

Ok, AJ fans, I don't think M & G is completely eliminated. If it is any indication, from the ad banner at the homepage and latest issue of the AJFC newsletter (Spring), the only thing that the fan club is not doing or offering anymore is the sign up contest, and to me it is very understandable. I had often wondered how soon before this happens. From my own observation in reading the posts in this forum, there has been fans who actually signed up for M & G even though they didn't even have ticket(s) to Alan's concert and won it, which made it really unfair to those fans who does have the tickets but lost on winning a chance to have a M & G with Alan because some other fan has won it but won't be even be at the concert to use his/her M & G pass. Also, I've seen tickets sold at eBay for such an outrageous price of up to 3 times the actual cost because it included M & G pass. A lot of fan club members have gotten placed in the disadvantage by people like these that made the signing up for what maybe a chance of a lifetime to have a M & G with Alan no longer in the best interest of the members of Alan's fan club.

I think what this is all about now is returning to how it used to be at the early years of Alan's country music career and prior to the start and popularity of the use of the internet. If I remember it correctly, it used to be that the fan club president/office staff used to pick out fan club members randomly. . .without the sign up and, I believe, chosen from those who actually ordered tickets for the concerts from the fan club. . .who will have M & G with Alan. I'm all for that system as it put us all fans in the same level of playing field and luck in winning it or being chosen to win it.

BHR

[miamired]

I never received that email!  Very unhappy about this.  Meet and greets only last minutes, can't imagine what the big deal is about this. Very disappointed, VERY!  It is as though implying that we can't be bothered for that extra touch of a few minutes time that will give us a lifetime of memories.

Not liking the trend of VIP ticketing with some country artists too.  Sorry to hear that AJ is doing this too.  VIP tickets and their high prices have been the norm in rock and roll for several years now.  No disrespect intended to AJ, know that there are likely others that make these decisions. Thing is, once this VIP starts, it seems to ultimately affect other ticket prices too.  Becoming hard to get a good seat for under $100 any longer.

Not to pick on AJ, but from a fans perspective, have to ask myself, "Okay, just how much more money do y'all really need?"

Wish the powers to be with all my faves knew how many things I have to say no too and cut back on, just to attend a concert of a fave.  It got to a point several years ago, that unless rare chance that my credit card is sponsoring/offering me a crack at a decent seat with groups like Fleetwood Mac or The Eagles, have sworn them off for concept attendance.  $180 and up for a LOUSY seat, NO WAY!  $600-$800 and sometimes more with them, are you kidding me?

Sorry for slight de-rail.

[miamired]

My sincere apologies to all if I misread the many comments.  Can anyone copy and paste that email and message it to me?

[BIGHUSKERSRED]

I never received that email!  Very unhappy about this.  Meet and greets only last minutes, can't imagine what the big deal is about this. Very disappointed, VERY!  It is as though implying that we can't be bothered for that extra touch of a few minutes time that will give us a lifetime of memories.

Not liking the trend of VIP ticketing with some country artists too.  Sorry to hear that AJ is doing this too.  VIP tickets and their high prices have been the norm in rock and roll for several years now.  No disrespect intended to AJ, know that there are likely others that make these decisions. Thing is, once this VIP starts, it seems to ultimately affect other ticket prices too.  Becoming hard to get a good seat for under $100 any longer.

Not to pick on AJ, but from a fans perspective, have to ask myself, "Okay, just how much more money do y'all really need?"

Wish the powers to be with all my faves knew how many things I have to say no too and cut back on, just to attend a concert of a fave.  It got to a point several years ago, that unless rare chance that my credit card is sponsoring/offering me a crack at a decent seat with groups like Fleetwood Mac or The Eagles, have sworn them off for concept attendance.  $180 and up for a LOUSY seat, NO WAY!  $600-$800 and sometimes more with them, are you kidding me?

Sorry for slight de-rail.

Miamired, I hope you read my post above before or after you posted yours. As I stated there, I don't think the M&G is completely eliminated. Please read my explanation on this. There were no emails actually sent about this, just sheer observations by fans regularly posting here, more or less, trying to sign up for M&G at the concert being held near where they're at. One of those fans emailed Cindy and posted here the response she received back.

Don't like the VIP ticketing thing, either. As for the ticket price, I could not agree more with you. It really has become more and more difficult for my family to afford 4 tickets to Alan's concerts, much as we enjoy going to them. . .we'll always be his fans. The problem here, though, is not with the artist. . .Alan. How much is charged per ticket is based on number of things, to include, and most especially, how much the venue management charges the artist's management to have a concert at their venue. The higher the venue management charges, the higher the price of the tickets will be. Add to that what Ticketmaster/Live Nation is/are charging for service fee. This is the very essence that the likes of Bruce Springsteen, John Mellemcamp and even Tom Petty, himself, and many other artists has been fighting for number of years now. So, please don't take this all out on Alan, or any artists of any genre, for that matter. And, think of it this way, as far as Alan's concerts go, you're actually still saving a little bit by purchasing your tickets from the fan club than anywhere else. We all can only hope that concert tickets prices will all go down some soon. That's going to be a big miracle on its own, if it happens.

BHR

[miamired]

Regarding the misuse of meet and greets, it is shameful!  Yes, think that ticket purchase should be required and be checked, along with M&G pass.  Think an additional quick ID check should be made as you enter seating area too, to assure it is you.

I like the way that things are done with another FC that I belong to.  Not unusual for many to sign up at a FC just prior to a tour for pre-sale perks.  This can allow the scalpers in.  Additionally, think it could be considered unfair with a highly popular artist/high demand for pre-sale ops to have long time FC members compete for better seats with someone who just signed up.

At the FC I am speaking of anyone there a year or longer is entitled to the first day of a pre-sale.  Under a year, you get the op on day two.  You are given a special code to use for pre-sale, determined by your being a year or under.  Think that is fair.  Plus, all pre-sales are will call only.  This can make it much harder for scalpers to be able to re-sell.

Tricky too, in that FC members do not always have first crack at M&G's/pre-sales.  If it is a venue that has season subscribers, they have first cracks, and sadly, that is why you see those high priced tickets at places like stub hub before the concert has been made available to even a FC member.

[miamired]

Again, my apologies to all.  LOl, obviously I did not graduate from the Evelyn Wood class of speed-reading with honors.  (Giggles)  I will say that the person who emailed and did not get a response as to why was unfair.

Thing that any time a significant change has been made within a FC, an announcement should be made at the FC, think we are due that respect.  Think the consideration of eliminating M&G's or even decreasing them is, as they say, throwing out the baby with the bath water.

Think that M&G's must be maintained with will call only to pick up ticket, no ticket, no meet and greet.  All you have to do is stipulate this in advance.  Think that (again) along with ID check, a simple measure such as ticket person punching a hole in your ticket that would let the person that checks you ticket for entry (as though signaled) that you are a M&G and must show ID again before entering.  This would eliminate those who would abuse even a will call ticket pick up from reselling ticket outside the door or selling on places like EBay and telling buyer they will meet them outside of venue after they pick up ticket.

[BIGHUSKERSRED]

I think it's because of problems with the scalpers that Alan's fan club also started the use of the"will call only' system, except that it's not required at all venues where he have concerts scheduled at to check IDs of concertgoers before they enter. . .just some. . . so many of those ticket holders are able to sell excess tickets at the parking lot or near the venue's entrance that they can't or will not use. . .I've seen them being done. . .and for a little profit. They're no more honest than the real scalpers are themselves. Though, it's true that there are those who are selling them honestly at face value. My point there is, there are fans/ticket buyers who are in the practice of purchasing numbers of tickets more than they should for just in case someone they think or hope could attend the concert is/are able to but in the end is/are not able to anyway. Those tickets could have been purchased by someone(s) who really would have been able to be there if they had the tickets had they not been sold out already for someone who was/were not able to make it there.

I like the idea very much of giving long time members of the fan club (2 or 3 years and longer) the priority at tickets pre-sale events and the codig system. From my observation just at this fan club, a surge of new members usually comes out of the woodwork when new concert dates are announced, especially when the concerts are to be held at new venues, and these new members are the ones grabbing a whole lot more number of tickets. . .and for the best seats. . .than those who has been members of the fan club a while, it would seem. They only sign up for membership then just to take advantage of the pre-sale, which doesn't sound right to me at all. The AJFC fan club should follow this system. I think it will not only be fair but also great.

I never thought about the venues' season subscribers and the stub hubs deal. You're right there. Thank you for your very informative post. I learn something new everyday.  

BHR