Concert promoters shafting wheelchair users again?
Red October 24th, 2008 4 Comments
Fresh from blasting the Westlife promoters for only offering wheelchair-using patrons the highest priced ticket bracket, a user of this site has emailed me about a similar situation with the upcoming Eric Clapton gig in Auckland. Vector Arena has several tiers of seating, differentiated by price depending on the quality of the seating area. Apparently, the wheelchair seating bay at Vector is deemed to be in the ‘Gold Reserve’ category, with the hefty price tag of $299/each.
This presents two critical issues:
- Firstly, disabled people are being denied choice. Whilst other patrons are able to pick and choose where they sit, and in doing so how much they pay for the privilege, disabled people are being told where to sit, and more importantly, being dictated to as to how much they will have to pay.
- Secondly, it raises the hairy issue of average income. Now, the reality of life means that the income of the average disabled person is well below the income of the average able-bodied person. So why, then, are we being forced to pay an absolute premium for concert tickets? And if, like me, you have to bring a support person with you, Eric Clapton’s promoters – and by association, Vector Arena – are asking disabled punters to front up with $600 to see him perform? Are they kidding?
I’ll forward this on to the people at Vector but until they get back to me, let me know what you think in the comments field below!
Loading ...
Twitter
Facebook
Email
Would you consider mentioning my newly-published memoir on your blog? I would be happy to exchange blog feeds as well.
Seven Wheelchairs: A Life beyond Polio was recently released by The University of Iowa Press.
The memoir is a history — an American tale — of my fifty year wheelchair journey after being struck by both bulbar and lumbar poliomyelitis after a vaccine accident in 1959. The Press says Seven Wheelchairs gives "readers the unromantic truth about life in a wheelchair, he escapes stereotypes about people with disabilities and moves toward a place where every individual is irreplaceable."
Other reviewers have called Seven Wheelchairs "sardonic and blunt," "a compelling account," and "powerful and poetic."
I hope you can mention Seven Wheelchairs on your blog. We all live different disability stories, I know, but perhaps if you find the memoir worthwhile, you might want to recommend the book to others who are curious about what polio or disability in general.
Of course, the book is also available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
–
Gary Presley http://www.garypresley.com
SEVEN WHEELCHAIRS: A Life beyond Polio
Fall 2008 University of Iowa Press
OMG – I just rang up TicketMaster to ask who much for Eric & when I was told the price I gulped. Very sucky Vector & TicketMaster – not fair!
Cheers Red for publishing my 'grizzle' . I wonder if Eric Clapton himself has a say on ticket pricing or is it his management along with Vector and TM that demand this price? I was pleasantly suprised that Kylie Minogue is very reasonably priced at $99 for the same spot they are asking $299 for Eric Clapton!
Guys – check this: http://walkingisoverrated.com/2008/10/26/good-new...