If you thought a sock subscription was fun, just wait until you get into the world of fan clubs! New desk fans delivered straight to your office on a monthly basis; how can you possibly go wrong?!
For the music and sports fan, a fan club is something entirely different, and what we will be focusing on today. A fan club or newsletter is simply a tool artists have created to inform fans about upcoming tours, album releases, as well as other news, events and contests.
Some will only issue a periodic newsletter, while other more extravagant fan clubs may offer entire websites with dedicated forums, special contests, and sell exclusive merchandise to club members only.
A large number of fan clubs are free to join by simply submitting your email, others require a nominal fee, while some will cost you upwards of $100 to claim your “true fan” status. These fees are typically paid on a yearly basis.
Examples:
- Free – Newsletter: Taylor Swift, Coldplay, Paul McCartney
- Free – Club: Metallica, Justin Timberlake, Chris Stapleton
- Nominal Fee: Luke Bryan – $20, Guns N’ Roses – $45, U2 – $50
- More-Than-Nominal Fee: Bon Jovi – $65, Tom Petty – $65, UFC – $100
Fan Club Benefits
Yes, spending money on a fan club may seem excessive and unnecessary, but consider the following benefits:
- Many fan clubs offer 1st presale access for new tours/events
- The inventory reserved for fan club members is typically in the most sought-after locations/price points (closest to stage and/or cheapest)
- There are fewer competing for fan club tickets as there is a slight barrier to entry (if they charge a fee)
- Free swag! Well, technically you pay for it, but…who doesn’t love t-shirts, vinyl albums, or exclusive publications?
- Discounts on merchandise purchases
- Access to exclusive fan forums and contests
- Other cool stuff…or something
Many of the features and bonuses issued to fan club members are more ‘nice-to-haves’ rather than wants, but the true benefit really lies within the access to participate in presales prior to the general public. Fan clubs will not guarantee your ability to secure tickets during any presales, but you stand to succeed at a much higher rate over the general sale.
Additionally, non-transferable ticket delivery options on presale tickets helps to ensure the best tickets get into the hands of real fans. More details will be posted regarding different ticket delivery methods in the future, but what you need to know right now is that non-transferable tickets are intended to stop ticket brokers from buying and reselling these tickets, providing true fans even better odds of securing great seats.
Downside of Fan Clubs
Before you hail fan clubs as the best thing since sliced bread though, the following is a list of negatives surrounding fan clubs:
- Joining a fan club does not guarantee you tickets, only the access to participate in presales
- There is a high percentage of fan club members who are ticket brokers and competition for the best tickets can be fierce
- Many fan clubs have cut-off dates for when you can gain presale access. U2 for example has two tiers of fan club members: older members receive first presale access, with newer members given a second round presale
- There is no guarantee as to when the next tour/event will be announced or if the artist will even perform in/near your city. It can be multiple years between tours and the cost of staying in the fan club adds up
- There are strict ticket limits for fan club presales, sometimes as low as 2 tickets for the entire tour
- If presale tickets are only sold as non-transferable ticket delivery types (paperless, will-call, etc) and you are unable to attend the event, you will not be able to sell your tickets/recuperate your cost
- Constantly being bombarded with fan club emails and notifications can be frustrating
Fan Clubs – Worth it?
With all the doom and gloom above, it may come off that joining fan clubs is just as futile as waiting for the general sale. However, it’s important to keep in mind that paid fan clubs do limit the total number of users who participate in a presale, and the total inventory available is typically larger for a fan club presale over the general sale.
Additionally, the type of inventory that is allocated for the presale will have a better mix of premium seating available. The delivery method also plays an important role, with non-transferable options dramatically improving your odds of securing tickets as many ticket brokers do not have the resources to manage selling them.
In the end, joining a fan club is simply one tool of many available to help securing tickets to see your favourite act, show, or event. Some fan clubs even offer t-shirts, hats, CD’s (do people even use those anymore?) or digital downloads when you join their fan club.
If you were going to buy the album or some merchandise anyway, you may as well get an added bonus out of it with access to a presale. While not a perfect method of securing tickets, a fan club can provide you with a needed assist if you’ve had trouble purchasing tickets in the past.
What do you think – are fan clubs worth the hassle? Have any of you had a positive/negative experience with fan clubs in the past?
