Want some opinions here...

Pearl Jam has been together for 17 years now, and played umpteen million shows. A system which allocates seats based on seniority seems like, and really is, the most fair way to distribute fan club tickets. And I mean this for any band, any fan club. That's just life, seniority matters in any job or club you're a part of.

Thing is, there's a lot of really hardcore Pearl Jam fans that are not old enough to have even considered joining the fan club back in 1991. Maybe some were not even born yet, tho I think that's probably a tiny percentage. These people are screwed --- in a Pearl Jam fan club ticket sense ----- unless all the old timers stop renewing.

I'm a big fan of this new 4 row lottery system. I don't know all the venues of this tour, but in Hartford, Mansfield, and Camden, there's a good number of seats in those rows. I don't think there's a great number at MSG. The rest, no clue.

I wish the 10club could devise a system where some of the younger fans had a chance at decent -- or I should say good seats. Until the 2000 tour, you could only purchase two tickets to ONE show. That sucks. BUT! I wonder, would it be better if you could purchase two tickets to as many shows as you want, like they offer now, but your seniority only counts for one show? Maybe that's stupid, I dunno. I just think that after all this time, the members with extremely low numbers have been front and center for so long. Not their fault and not that I think they should be punished or anything. Just think maybe it's time to recognize the fact that older people are less likely to travel all over the place and if they wanna keep the younger part of the fanbase really interested, they should start catering to them a little more. This new 4 row lottery is a great start, and I hope they take it further -- no offense to the longtimers.

And this has nothing to do with me. I don't have a great number, but not an awful one either (192xxx) and I've never been dissatisfied with my tix with the exception of Mansfield 1 in 2003 when I was very, very far back. I actually had better tix to the other Mansfield shows that year thru TM.

I think the new system is the closest to perfect they've got it so far. It doesn't disadvantage the low # folks (well, not TOO much anyway) and it gives hope to everyone like me with a number in the 400's.

Didn't someone on here also have a great suggestion which made a lot of sense? I can't recall who...

We've been through this a million times.

Still not enough.

And I still don't get why people so desperately want to be up front. I don't. If I ever get to a seated show again and by any chance, I get a front row ticket, I'll gladly swap it. You have my word for that.

why?

Because back there, you're closer to the bathroom/bar. So whenever Even Flow comes on, you're quicker away from it.

Ang, Even Flow goes on so long you can have a pint AND a piss and still make it back to your front row seat. We did it loads in Oz in 2003. Be a bit harder at a GA show, though...

don't need bathroom or bar at a show once the music started, ANY show!

I like the new system..but the old one isn't even fair.
The Seniority order is pretty fucked up: people getting back their numbers after they've let it lapsed a LONG time, people getting lower numbers despite joining later just because they bought something (even a sticker) earlier...
I'm glad all but 1 of my shows so far have been GAs and so front rows! I won't be so annoyed when I get my shit seats in June..

a while back, coach posted a thread with some really good ideas about this.

One problem I could foresee with multiple shows but seniority only for one would be the more popular shows. I think a large number of people would use their seniority at major shows such as MSG. So if you're a fan club member with a 300,000 number in the NYC area you're still screwed unless you can afford the extra cash to go and travel to a different show.

That's why I dropped mine. All my number guaranteed me was shitty seats in my hometown and shitty seats in any other major city I'd see the band in.

Shut up, kid.

Hell, I didn't even know you could get your previous number reinstated. I had a 150's number before. Joined so I could maybe get some good seats at shows. Was never able to get ANY 10C tix to shows and just let it go. When I rejoined a few years ago, I'm firmly in the 300's.

I thinnk they got more strict in the last couple of years on the 'getting back numbers' front...that's the impression I got anyway

I let mine lapse by a month or two and after a well worded email I got my old number back. This was about a year ago.

yeah, couple of months they're not that strict..I was refering to LONG lapses.. like years!

the only issue i have with the way they do things is the number lapsing. they should send you an e-mail and/or snail-mail reminder that your fees are due, and if you lapse on them, tough luck. you go to the back of the line and everyone else moves up. i don't see how that's not fair. it at least gives the fans in their 20s and even teens a chance to improve their numbers.

aside from that... shit. i'm pretty much gauranteed a floor seat just by being a 10c member. compared to most other fan clubs, that's pretty damned good.

I got an email a week ago telling me it was time to renew, i liked that.