Everytime I go to an event I continue to be amazed by the lengths that organisers go to maintain ‘control’ over their franchise. In the twenty-first century world of open systems and social media the notion of giving up control to get it has been largely missed by event owners.
I was graciously invited to the French Open at Roland Garros, which, if you have not been, is one of the great venues in sport. It’s not fancy or flashy or new but it is quintessentially French and the contrast of the orange and green everywhere is a comforting sign of summer’s approach. I’d also add it is one of the best priced big sporting events as well. By comparison, my ticket on the Eurostar, dinner, overnight stay at a four start hotel and entry to the tennis cost less than a ticket alone to any day at Wimbledon (I love Wimbledon too but for different reasons which I will explain in another post shortly).
After coming in Monday night and having a great and very late dinner in the capital I got to start the day with a leisurely breakfast and lots of coffee. On the way out to the venue my host handed me the print out of my electronic ticket, a standard A4 page with the ticket information and barcode. He also told me I needed my passport because all of the tickets are tied to the name. He seemed worried that he’d registered my ticket as ‘Joe’ when in fact my passport said ‘Joseph.’ The last time that mattered, well, actually I’ve never had an occurance when it’s mattered so I was suprised at his level of unease at the discrepency.
When we got to Roland Garros I began to understand why. Mazes of iron barriers demarked points of entry to the venue with fairly large queues for noon on a Tuesday. I was carrying two large bags and as I was about to get them checked a young female steward asked me if I’d like to have them checked for the day. “Yes,” I responded happy to get them off my back for a few hours, to which she pointed across the motorway a half kilometer from the entrance. I declined.
Once I had my bags inspected I went through the gate and the scanner read my eticket. The scanner then printed out a ticket with my name on it and it was matched against my passport (the diminutive was passable). I then was allowed into the venue.
We spent about 30 minutes walking around looking for the correct entrance to the main stadium (Phillipe Chartier) and when we got to the port to enter the correct section our tickets were once again inspected my two more young female stewards. Forty-five minutes after entering the grounds we were finally seated in our seats. The tennis was great as we go to see Maria Sharapova and then Rafa Nadal play a five set match with John Isner, the 6 foot 9 inch American of the famous three-day Wimbledon match.
During the first match I got up to get some water and when I returned I was again instructed to show my ticket, print out and passport again in order to enter my seat, the same process ensued for each subsequent trip to get lunch, go to the toilet and finally to purchase a hat for my daughter. In all my ticket and passport were inspected five times by Roland Garros staff, a record not bested by any US airport, UK visa authority or club owner. Had it been French Open staff and not the US Special Forces I have to believe Osama Bin Laden would have been caught years ago.
So why is it that the organisers go to such lengths to treat their customers as criminals? Is it only to make sure no one ever shares a ticket? Is it something else? My theory is that event organisers become so blinded with rage at a third party earning a revenue stream around an event they believe they ‘own’ it causes them to take actions that are clearly not rational. As customers, we all kind of get used to this treatment so no one gets too moved by it. It does not provide a very good experience and it certainly doesn’t work to keep more people in the seats for future events.
I’ve recovered from my near water-boarding experience at the hands of young French girls but I wont soon forget it.
