Groupon And ... Bon Jovi?

By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on Jul 28, 2010 3:40PM

Yesterday's Groupon deal caught us a little off guard [full disclosure: the company is a frequent advertiser with this site]. The popular discount site was offering 300-level tickets tje Bon Jovi / Kid Rock concert at Soldier Field this Saturday for $30. What a bargain, right?! Well, probably not. Offering tickets at that sort of discount just before a show means tickets probably aren't selling like hotcakes.

In that sort of situation the industry usually offers entry at a deep discount or papers the seats with free tickets to save the artist's face. We reached out to a spokesperson yesterday from the event's promoter -- AEG Live -- to find out just how ticket sales were doing, but have yet to receive comment so at this point we can only offer two theories behind the discount. Either AEG Live is caught in a bad situation and is trying to avoid backlash by employing either of those tactics in hopes that by partnering with Groupon -- a business that has lots of consumer confidence and enjoys lots of public goodwill -- will allow them to safe face by offering folks what appears to be yet another in a long line of excellent Groupon deals. On the other hand, Pollstar reports Bon Jovi has the top grossing North American tour for the first half of 2010 so maybe we're just being sourpusses and this is simply an example of innovative marketing driving a band's successful tour.

What do you think? Is it a good deal? Are we just being pessimistic jerks? Or is AEG using Groupon to try and help them look like the good guy? Heck, is it even worth shelling out thirty bucks to see Bon Jovi or Kid Rock? You tell us.