Admission free! - Complimentary tickets... the pleasure, the pain Winston Wilson, Jr., staff reporter Giving away complimentary tickets might seem to be no big thing, but it costs promoters millions of dollars, dozens of friends and much bad feelings. If they are lucky it will do some good and increase the patron turn-out. In addition, while most promoters suffer in silence, some artistes have coloured them mean. A few promoters are all smiles in giving complimentary tickets. Some even go out of the way to give away. Others seethe with a quiet, burning rage when they 'let off' on request or when they are painted in a corner and feel they have no choice. Some promoters will only give away a few tickets to sponsors, media, etc. Others have a set aside "maybe a 5 per cent". Others give liberally, "a 15 per cent or so". The promoters' stories toggles between outrage, understanding and helplessness from Sharon Burke, Jerome Hamilton, Ronnie Burke, Kingsley Cooper, Michael Ammar, Jr., Jade Lee, Carl Sharpe, Dale Flynn and Lenford Salmon, et al. Michael Barnett (Heineken Startime series) is livid. He is fed up with seasonal 'chums', who just want a free ride. Mr. Barnett has given away one complimentary ticket too many. He has had enough. He said that everyone wants free admission to a show that cost millions to produce. According to him complimentary tickets should be only for sponsors, media, and other persons directly involved with the show. He is "hated out there," because he has been trying to say no. Most times the promoter just does not have the heart. Or he just cannot say no. He thinks. "Sometimes they call on the phone. Sometimes they drive me down. They even want me to send them tickets!" he said. He cited that at the last Heineken Startime, he "had to" give one artiste 50 tickets and he gave away more than 200 complimentary tickets that he "shouldn't have". Despite the protest from Barnett and a few other show producers, most entertainers deny they 'pressure' promoters for complimentary tickets. They claim never to ask for more than two, or four. Or six. Several promoters agree with Barnett in saying not so. Most said that complimentary tickets were also "seriously affecting returns". For Barnett, saying no to persons with whom there are other professional relationships will make it bad for business. "I am under a stick up from both business associates and personal friends... and they never ask for one ticket!" he fumed. George Nooks recently produced his own show, 'Reggae Adventure'. The singer, who himself manned the gates, is still reeling from the lethal blow of giving away complimentary tickets. Though he was somewhat tight-lipped when he spoke with Showtime, Nooks admitted that he "definitely gave away too much". "After wha happen wid 'Reggae Adventure', me ago have somebody fe deal specifically wid dat kind of thing," he said, adding that he would have to scale down ticket give-aways. For Carl Sharpe ('The Power of Love'- Luther Vandross), head of Buzz Productions, there is no problem regarding complimentary tickets. He never gives out tickets. He never asks for any. He buys when he wants. Sometimes complimentary requests get out of hand for JADE Promotions. Jade Lee, managing director, said that sometimes people fail to realise why promoters put on shows. Although the company gives away between 50 - 300 tickets (based on However, ickets compliments of Sharon Burke (Solid Agency) go easily. With a smile. "I have no problems giving away tickets... for 'Fully Loaded' I gave away over 700," she said. Sharon uses complimentary tickets as a strategic marketing tool and asserts that the technique makes her events very successful, "although people might disagree". For this promoter, complimentary ticket give-aways do not affect her profit. The sale of bar items and merchandise at her events usually make up. "You might give away 10 tickets and that person just buy ten case of Guinness," she said. She says that she always tries to assist and sometimes just picks an organisation and send off (sometimes 15) tickets to them. She has a soft spot for persons who genuinely cannot afford to purchase. "It is when no-one is asking for tickets that I worry," she ended.
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