Skip to main content

Jackson London concert promoters coy on refunds


Saturday, June 27, 2009 LONDON: The organisers of Michael Jackson's comeback tour dates in London remained guarded Saturday about refunds for ticket holders following the singer's death. Jackson fans from around the world had rushed to snap up tickets for some 50 "This Is It" performances at London's O2 Arena which were due to start on July 13. The reclusive star made his final public appearance to unveil the sellout gigs in March. Reports in Britain say about 50 million pounds (59 million euros, 83 million dollars) has been spent on 750,000 tickets. Promoters AEG Live made no comment immediately following Jackson's death, but a spokeswoman for the company said late Friday: "On behalf of the entire AEG organisation we extend our deepest condolences to Michael Jackson's family and friends during this tragic time. "Full ticket refund information and procedures will be released early next week for all Michael Jackson 'This Is It' shows. "Fans are advised to hold on to their ticket vouchers/proof of purchase." Most tickets for the concerts cost between 50 pounds and 75 pounds. Trading website eBay, where tickets had fetched prices of up to 1,300 pounds, said fans who had bought seats for the shows through its website would receive a refund. "Ebay... will ensure all buyers on the site can receive a full refund for their ticket purchase," a company spokeswoman said, adding that more details would be announced next week. Ticket exchange site viagogo and retailer Seatwave have also said they will refund fans. The Times newspaper reported Saturday that AEG had hoped to recoup much of the estimated 10 million pounds it would have cost to stage the concerts from merchandising and corporate entertainment. With that possibility now quashed, question marks also remain over the extent of AEG's liability for the Jackson concerts. Quoting industry sources, the Times said insurers could face a bill of around 50 million pounds, but that was expected to be a fraction of the cost to AEG of cancelling the 50 dates and leaving the O2 venue empty for months. Most estimates put the figure at 300 million pounds. The president of AEG Live, Randy Phillips, had said the company was insured for "the first 23 days" of the run and negotiations were ongoing to increase that. Concerns for Jackson's health rose when the start of the shows was pushed back after the initial announcement. But Phillips had insisted the rescheduling was due to the "sheer magnitude" of the show and insisted at the time: "I would trade my body for his tomorrow. He's in fantastic shape."

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Thousands gather to commemorate Hariri anniversary

BEIRUT: Thousands of people converged Saturday on central Beirut to mark the fourth anniversary of the assassination of Lebanese former premier Rafiq Hariri.Waving Lebanese flags and carrying pictures of the slain leader, men, women and children gathered under sunny skies in Martyr's Square where members of the parliamentary majority were to address the crowd. The rally comes as final preparations are underway in The Hague for the launch of the international tribunal set up to bring Hariri's killers to justice. It also comes as the country prepares for legislative elections in June that will pit Western-backed political parties against a Hezbollah-led alliance backed by Syria and Iran.Hariri died in a massive car bombing on February 14, 2005 that also killed 22 others. The assassination was widely blamed on then Lebanese power-broker Syria, which has denied any involvement. The attack on the Beirut seafront was one of the worst acts of political violence to rock Lebanon since t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Aamir Khan in Yashraj's TV show Rishta.com

Yashraj Productions is making its debut on a small screen but just like films their TV show has all the star power as well. The numero uno banner of Bollywood is coming up with a show called Rishta.com, apparently, a comedy series which will show a matrimony office through which couples meet. YRF has tapped all their loyalists including Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, Preity Zinta, Uday Chopra, Tabu and Riteish Deshmukh to make an appearance on their show but opening the curtains will be biggest Khan of them all, Aamir Khan. According to reports, Aamir has agreed to be a part of YRF’s new show and the main reasons for his nod is the fact that it’s very close to real life. The perfectionist star's inclusion also comes as a surprise as the banner has always flaunted SRK to be their lucky mascot. Industry sources indicate that it’s going to be big indeed, however, the details of Aamir’s role on the show haven’t been divulged as yet.
Post a Comment
Read more

89 killed in Peshawar blast: hospital sources

Wednesday, October 28, 2009 PESHAWAR/Pakistan: The death toll of the blast occurred in Meena Bazar Peshawar has climbed to 89, hospital sources said. More then 200 people injured in the blast.According to reports, three persons have been rescued from the rubbles of the buildings collapsed after the explosion. The injured have been shifted to Lady Reading Hospital and other hospitals where emergency has been announced. The children and women are also among the wounded. Some of the injured reported in a critical condition. The administration of Lady Reading Hospital has appealed for blood donation. The blast shattered windowpanes of nearby buildings and created panic among the people. The charred bodies have been recovered from the blast site as several persons still trapped under the rubbles. A nearby mosque Umme Habiba has been destroyed in the explosion. Police have cordoned off the area as rescue operation is on the blast site. President Asif Ali Zardari has expressed his heartfelt g...
Post a Comment
Read more