Madonna's 'sold-out' show tickets on discount

Iconic popstar Madonna’s Abu Dhabi concert, the first day at least, was a declared sell-out, wasn’t it? Didn’t media report that 22,000 tickets were sold within an hour of going on sale?

Well, looks like it wasn’t a sell-out after all, with new tickets emerging in the market, just three days before Madonna finally sets foot in Abu Dhabi for her two-day concert (June 3 and 4), triggering massive online sales. What’s more, you could even get a general admission access to the concert if you trade in 25,000 of your AirMiles.

“Didn’t they put up the second show to tackle the huge demand after the first show was a sell-out?” quizzed a reader.

Show organiser Flash Entertainment admitted that more tickets have been released for Madonna's first and second night, claiming more space has been made available after a stage renovation was carried out.

Their official statement read: “Having entered the final stages of construction at the du Arena, revisions to the stage layout have allowed a small quantity of tickets to be put back onto the market in all categories.

"This is something that happens often globally, especially as a complex show production enters the final stages of build and configurations can be revised. It is a positive eventuality and means more fans have the chance to experience the spectacle of Madonna live in Abu Dhabi.”

And, this sudden influx of tickets has triggered massive discounts and deals on group buying websites, with tickets being clubbed with spa and hotel packages.

“One website is offering Golden Circle tickets that are priced at Dh629 for Dh466. That’s a straight 43 per cent discount,” reported a reader. And, when Emirates247 checked, 28 tickets were sold, with another 13 hours left for the deal to end.

The website’s earlier deals offered Golden Circle tickets, which originally costed Dh1,095 at Dh629. And, the current offer is: “Watch Madonna Live at Yas Island on June 4 with a Golden Circle Ticket plus Spa Voucher worth Dh500 to use at Radisson Blu Hotel, Yas Island for Dh1,095 instead of Dh1,595.”

Until now, 17 of these deals have been sold, with the offer running for another four days.

Another website offered two general admission tickets and a night stay (on an alternate date) at the luxurious Radisson Blu Hotel Yas Island for Dh1,090 ($297), as against the original value of Dh1,895 ($516). The website recorded that 68 deals were sold.

It also promoted an offer for tickets to either day, with a night at the City Seasons Al Hamra Hotel for Dh1,311 ($357) for two adults. And, 2 out of those 20 deals were sold. Another bid was for “two general admission tickets, and a night-stay at either 5-star Beach Rotana or Khalidiya Palace Rayhaan by Rotana for Dh1,337 ($364).

One more such website offered tickets, valued at Dh695, for Dh388. And, the stats showed that 3 offers were sold, with 37 hours remaining for the deal.

Many residents believe the decision to host the concert on week days could be a reason why many tickets have still remained unsold, and probably the reason for this last-minute sale.

“I’m extremely disappointed that I lost out on these deals. Forget the hotel and spa offers, I didn’t even get a discount on my ticket. This is just unfair,” asserted a resident, who had purchased his ticket for the original price.

Back in March, there were talks among the media circle about how it was taking longer to sell tickets for the second show.

Original ticket prices for both the show were the same, with prices starting at Dh250 for general standing to Dh2,295 for VIP hospitality packages.

The Abu Dhabi concert is second on Madonna’s MDNA World Tour 2012 after Tel Aviv. It will then travel to Europe, South and North America and Australia.

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