The pop-punk heroes in No Doubt have taken a strong stance against ticket scalping for the band’s current tour. Except when it suits them just fine.
Through the Web site eBay, No Doubt is auctioning off VIP ticket packages to 16 of its upcoming shows, of which 60 percent of the proceeds from each sale will benefit the Orange County Chapter of ALS. The band also plans to hold additional auctions for more shows in the coming weeks, and the other charities that will benefit include Doctors Without Borders and charity: water.
Starting bids for the packages, which contain four premium tickets, access to meet the band and other swag, are $2,000, and as of 3:45pm EST today, May 12, six of the packages had not received any bids. The highest bid for a package, for the May 22 show in the band’s hometown of San Diego, had reached $2,800 with just over three hours remaining until the auction closed.
Earlier in the year when the band announced the tour, the members made a point of claiming the tour would be scalper-free by withholding 10 percent of tickets for fan club members, who had to pay a $15 subscription fee. Tickets bought through the band’s Web site, were printed with the purchaser’s name, and IDs are also required for entry. The band did not disclose its total allotment of tickets for the entire tour.
How much the band hopes to generate through the auction, and why 60 percent of the proceeds are being donated, instead of a higher percentage or even 100 percent, is unknown.
No Doubt’s manager Jim Guerinot, owner of Rebel Waltz Management, told TicketNews that he needed time to compile information about the tickets and the auction before he could address questions about it, but he did not immediately respond with answers.