Fans Enjoy One of Arena's Most Successful Months Ever

February was a busy month full of variety for fans of all kinds at Van Andel Arena.  From families to sports fans to music lovers, there was something for everyone in the shortest month of the year, and it showed with five sellouts by the time the month was through.

Fans from all over the state packed the house to see five concerts, including one comedian, six Grand Rapids Griffins hockey games, and a performance from Disney on Ice. What shaped up to be one of the most successful months in the history of the arena since its inception in 1996 also turned out to be one of the best for its fans.

In only an eight day stretch, West Michigan was treated to two shutout victories from the Grand Rapids Griffins and three back-to-back-to-back concerts over the second weekend of the month.  The faith-fueled Rock and Worship Roadshow kicked off the weekend and attracted lines wrapped completely around the arena before tickets could be purchased at the door for only $10.  Classic rockers Journey and comedian Jeff Dunham’s “Disorderly Conduct Tour” were crowd pleasers as well as both shows filled up the arena to close out the weekend.

The February fun didn’t stop as the Griffins continued their winning ways, racking up a total of five victories in six home games.  Mid-month featured American Country Music Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan selling out the arena with help from two other American Country Music Award-winning acts Florida Georgia Line (New Artist of the Year) and Thompson Square (Vocal Duo of the Year.)  Not to be outdone, dance pop-rockers Maroon 5 filled the arena to capacity on the 25^th, and Disney on Ice kicked off a seven-show run on the 28^th.

It certainly was a month with an assortment of shows. In such a busy month, a masterful job was done to keep the entertainment spread around to several types of fans. But make no doubt about it, the fans played as big of a role as anyone in the arena’s success. 

After all was said and done, close to 100,000 fans walked through the turnstiles of Van Andel Arena in the month of February.  It is this passion and enthusiasm from the fans paired with great shows for the arena that will keep high quality entertainment coming to Grand Rapids for years to come.

What You Need to Know About Paperless Ticketing

Reported several years ago, a company in Texas was found managing over 100 computers with their own software programs. That sounds perfectly fine at first glance since computers can be found virtually at every company across the globe. The problem here was that these computers in particular, had been programmed to purchase tickets to shows in bulk the instant they became available.

After tickets to numerous events and shows had been purchased, a ticket broker—who’d prearranged to purchase those tickets from the company—ultimately aimed to sell them back to the public. Sometimes, a ticket broker has their own computers. Tickets can change hands two to three times with every one of them looking to gain profit. So regardless of the process, the objective is the same—drive up the price.

Those darn scalpers.

The reality is people have been scalping for a long time—modifying their approach to modernize the way they make profits.  The latest technologies provide faster and faster ways to get tickets. One method is automated computer software programs such as the one in Texas.

Often seen as a victim-less crime, those profits do pay a price. And that price falls on true fans. Once the broker has tickets, prices skyrocket. The broker sometimes can make it practically impossible for the average Joe to get a seat to his favorite band when prices are marked up to over 200%.

Another problem this poses is the uncertain validity of tickets purchased on the secondary market. Sure, you may be able to fork over a couple extra hundred bucks to take your girlfriend or boyfriend to the Kid Rock show or take your spouse and kids to the spectacular “Wicked” Broadway show coming into town, but how do you know they are legit?

Here is where paperless tickets come into play.

Paperless ticketing is an alternative method of purchasing tickets and continuing to gain access to the shows you want to attend. Instead of receiving your tickets ahead of the event, the credit card used to make the purchase will serve as your ticket. All you need to attend the show is the credit card you used to purchase the ticket and a valid, government-issued ID (such as a driver's license, state ID or passport).

Promoters are employing the use of paperless tickets more and more successfully at some of the largest venues throughout the world, by many of the most popular artists including the likes of Kid Rock and more. Simply put, this measure best ensures that fans can buy tickets at the price they initially set for the event all the while enjoying the added convenience of not having to risk losing or misplacing paper stubs.

When patrons arrive at the venue, just go directly to the gate and/or ticket-taker and present the credit card used to purchase the tickets along with a government-issued ID. Upon scanning your credit card to validate your order, a seat locator slip for each ticket ordered will be printed off for each seat purchased in your order.

But say you’re purchasing tickets for others and don’t intend on attending the show?

If you buy tickets for friends or family, sometimes you only have to go to the gate, not through the gate. Simply accompany them to the venue and show your credit card and ID to get them in.

If you happen to lose your credit card after your purchase was made, simply bring a print out of your confirmation email or online order history from Ticketmaster with your government-issued ID to the box office. The box office will then verify the order and make sure the names match. If they do not match, entry will not be permitted.

Paperless tickets take the ease out of a ticket process that has for too long been manipulated at the cost of the artist all the way down to the common fan.

Click here to learn more about paperless ticketing. 

A Day In The Life Of a Globetrottin' Advance Ambassador

Every January during the week prior to the annual Harlem Globetrotters’ performance at Van Andel Arena, there’s a few of us SMG staff members lucky enough to spend a media day with one of the players. The “Advance Ambassador” for the Globetrotters will be chaperoned by a few of our staff as we journey through and around the city hitting several media outlets (television and radio, mostly) to promote the then-upcoming game.

A portion of the day is also set out to allow the Advance Ambassador to engage the youth and give back to the community. Globetrotters spend a lot of their time outside the gym and in schools promoting various causes throughout the globe. This year was no different.

Although the game has passed, we’d chronicled the day to show you, fans, what a day being an Advance Ambassador is like. Here’s our story:

On January 24^th, we followed this year’s Globetrotters Advance Ambassador, “Buckets” Blakes.  It was a truly unforgettable experience.  Having the chance to see a day in the life of a Harlem Globetrotter allowed us not only to get a glimpse of a typical day for a world-class athlete/entertainer, but also a shining example of what makes the Harlem Globetrotters an unmatched and unique sports organization that continues to stand the test of time.

The life of a Globetrotter Ambassador is not one for those who aren’t fond of waking up before the sun does.  The day began with a tour of as many early morning shows as we could hit, from WOOD TV (Daybreak & eightwest) and WZZM (Take Five) to multiple radio stations, including WTRV, WFGR, WLHT, and WJRW.  Everywhere we went we heard new stories that reinforced the impact the Globetrotters have had on families for many years.  Whether it was Buckets explaining the community involvement and special projects of the organization or show staff members openly sharing their own Globetrotters involved memories from childhood.  Everyone wanted a picture with Buckets, and he was more than inviting when asked to pose in another snapshot.

In between stops through the media, Buckets got a little hungry. Waking up before dawn and not eating through the morning, we completely understood why. So being in the neighborhood, we thought what better way to show Buckets a slice of GR than to take Buckets to one of GR’s very well-known bakeries for some quick food—Wealthy Street Bakery (The Danish? Phenomenal).

Later on we headed over to MLive where Buckets took part in a paper shooting contest against the MLive staff a.k.a “Hubtrotters” while being interviewed.  Once again, Buckets had full celebrity status in the building as everyone gathered around to meet him and watch their co-workers try to out-shoot the basketball pro.  As with every stop we visited, Buckets lit up the room while spreading the good deeds and efforts of the Harlem Globetrotters, including their teamwork with the National Campaign to Stop Violence.

Finally we stopped in at Brookwood Elementary School in Kentwood where Buckets spoke to the students—who had absolutely no problem displaying their excitement as Buckets walked through the doors of the gym—about the ABCs of Bullying Prevention.  After getting the kids to volunteer their own ideas for preventing bullying, he taught a few of the kids some cool tricks and showed off a few of his own before posing for a few more pictures and signing a couple autographs.  Even the adults were rushing over for a moment with Buckets.

Throughout the day, Buckets kept talking about how the Globetrotters recruit players, saying they are always on the lookout for “great basketball players, great athletes, great entertainers, and great people.”  After a long media day with a Globetrotter, we can safely say that the Harlem Globetrotters are accomplishing just that while achieving great things along the way.  Young or old, the Globetrotters continue to make an impact in communities across the planet through entertainment, athletics, charitable works and humanitarian programs.  We will always look forward to the next time these guys trot back into town.

To check out some of the interviews and more articles about some of the visits that "Buckets" Blakes made on January 24th, follow these links:

Interview with Andy and Dave at 98.7 WFGR

Article & Interview with Todd Chance at MLive
Brookwood Elementary video and article
Buckets on WOOD TV's "Daybreak"
Buckets on WZZM's "Take Five"

Van Andel Arena Donates Gaither Christmas Homecoming Tickets To US Veterans

On Dec. 15, 2012, Van Andel Arena played host to the Gaither Christmas Homecoming Tour, featuring the award-winning Gaither Vocal Band with special guests crooning the best Christian-themed holiday carols.

But Van Andel Arena also played host to a few more special guests that evening.
Having reached out to the Veteran Tickets Foundation, the holidays were a perfect time for the Van Andel Arena staff to donate a night of fun and relaxation to veterans in the West Michigan area. Forty free tickets were designated to the organization and veterans from the Army, Air Force and Navy were all recipients of admission to the family-friendly show.

With the slogan “Give Something To Those Who Gave,” The Veteran Tickets Foundation is a non-profit, non-governmental organization aimed at expressing gratitude to veterans by working with venues and shows across the country to provide free tickets to great events.

Per the Veteran Tickets Foundation website, “When our Military and Veterans go to an event for free, we want them to feel a collective “thank you” from all of us to all of them.”

The foundation has been able to provide free tickets to NCAA Div. I basketball games, NFL games, Disney On Ice, comedy shows and concerts among many others. To date, the foundation has given out 509,382 tickets in all 50 states and Washington DC. More information can be found at www.vettix.org.

Van Andel Arena along with the Gaither Christmas Homecoming Tour were proud to offer local veterans a joyous evening.

But this wasn't the first time our staff helped make contributions to our heroes in service. Last summer, $5 from tickets sold to the July Trace Adkins performance at DeVos Performance Hall was pledged to The Wounded Warriors Project.

The Wounded Warriors Project raises awareness and enlists the public's aid for the needs of injured service members.

In the end, these initiatives are the least we could do for their service. We hope to work with the Veteran Tickets Foundation and Wounded Warriors Project again whenever possible.

Generous Patrons Help Grant Wishes For Make-A-Wish Foundation Through “Round Up at The Rink”

Savor…Grand Rapids, Van Andel Arena’s exclusive food and beverage provider, teamed up with the Grand Rapids Griffins over the Thanksgiving weekend to raise money as part of a state-wide initiative headed by 14-year old Novi high School student, Ryan Rabinowitz. Van Andel Arena hosted the “Round Up at The Rink” event, where gracious Griffins hockey fans contributed by way of rounding up their concessions bills to the nearest dollar.

Together, West Michigan’s best hockey fans donated $624.18 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, helping to grant wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions.

The whole idea for Round Up at The Rink was brought to our attention by Rabinowitz, who first worked with Make-A-Wish when he was in the fourth grade.  A longtime hockey player, Rabinowitz’s plan is to contact more than 100 arenas/rinks in Michigan and ask them to host a Round Up at The Rink event to help make wishes come true for children with life threatening medical conditions. Rabinowitz’s goal is to reach $5000 and help grant an entire wish.

The Griffins beat the Chicago Wolves on Friday, September 23 to extend their then-winning streak to seven games.  The game also hosted the Griffins’ annual Teddy Bear Toss, where fans brought new store-tagged teddy bears or stuffed animals to throw on the ice when the Griffins score their first goal. All stuffed animals were to go to Hug-A-Bears of Kent County. The Griffins also matched up against the Milwaukee Admirals two days later, losing the contest on Sunday, September 25.

Van Andel Arena Participating in High Schooler’s “Round Up at The Rink” Fundraiser

Savor…Grand Rapids, Van Andel Arena’s exclusive food and beverage provider, is teaming up with the Grand Rapids Griffins and the Make-A-Wish Foundation for participation in a special “Round Up at The Rink” event. Patrons attending any of the Griffins’ games this upcoming Thanksgiving weekend can contribute by rounding up their concession bills to the nearest dollar. The excess amount will go towards the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Patrons are encouraged to contribute during the Friday, November 23rd and Sunday, November 25th Griffins games at any of the arena’s concession stands and/or the Fifth Third Bank Vault. The holidays are known as a time for giving to those in need. What better time than Thanksgiving weekend to participate in such a great cause.

The whole idea for Round Up at The Rink was brought to our attention by 14-year old Novi high School student, Ryan Rabinowitz, who first worked with Make-A-Wish when he was in the fourth grade. A longtime hockey player, Rabinowitz’s plan is to contact more than 100 arenas/rinks in Michigan and ask them to host a Round Up at The Rink event to help make wishes come true for children with life threatening medical conditions. Rabinowitz’s goal is to reach $5000 and help grant an entire wish.

The Griffins will take on the Chicago Wolves this Friday at 7pm. It is a $1 hot dog, $1 beer game and is also to the Griffins’ annual Teddy Bear Toss. Fans are asked to bring a new store-tagged teddy bear or stuffed animal to throw on the ice when the Griffins score their first goal. All stuffed animals collected will be donated to Hug-A-Bears of Kent County. Hug-A-Bears serves the community by donating teddy bears to children and families in crisis.

Sunday’s 4pm game will have the Griffins match up against the Milwaukee Admirals. The first 2,500 fans will receive a Griffins poster and puzzle combo as ZOOperstars return to Van Andel Arena for the third straight season. The inflatable mascots will entertain fans in the stands throughout the game and on the ice during both intermissions.

Advance tickets are $14, $16 and $18 in the arena’s upper level, and $18, $22, $26 and $32 in the lower level. (Additional $2 per ticket on day of game.) Tickets available at The Zone (inside Van Andel Arena), all Star Ticket outlets including Meijer stores, charge by phone at 800.585.3737 or at the Van Andel Arena box office 90 minutes before each game.

Journey Date at Van Andel Arena Rescheduled To February 9th

The recent Journey concerts that were previously postponed due to lead singer Arnel Pineda’s illness have now been rescheduled as follows: The November 10th 2012 concert at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, MI has been rescheduled to Saturday, February 9, 2013.

All tickets for the originally scheduled concerts will be honored for the new date. Refunds will be available at point of purchase.

Since its formation in 1973 in San Francisco, JOURNEY has earned 19 Top 40 singles and 25 gold and platinum albums. The band’s Greatest Hits album is certified 15 times platinum, bringing Journey into the elite club of Diamond-certified album holders. Journey was awarded the prestigious “Legend Of Live Award” at the 2011 Billboard Touring Awards in honor of the band’s significant and lasting contributions to live music and the touring business, and in acknowledgement of their commitment to the fans and the art of performing live. The 2011 Eclipse World Tour was one of the band’s most successful tours ever, drawing nearly a million fans and ranked in the Top 15 Tours of the year. 2011 also marked the 30th anniversary of the band’s seminal anthem, Don’t Stop Believin’, which was honored as the top-selling digital classic rock song in history by Nielsen SoundScan. The group received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2005. For more information, visit www.journeymusic.com.

With Journey Postponed, Exclusive Deals Offered To Ticketholders

Yesterday morning, we announced the postponement of the Journey concert at Van Andel Arena, originally slated for this Saturday, November 10th. Unfortunately, singer Arnel Pineda has been diagnosed with severe laryngeal and esophageal inflammation and is under doctor’s orders not to perform for the next week.

We were sorry to hear that the JOURNEY concert at Van Andel Arena for Saturday had been postponed...so, as an alternate form of entertainment, we will give a $5 off per ticket discount to any guest who shows up (w/ a concert ticket) to this year's GR Wine, Beer & Food Festival on SATURDAY between Noon and 4pm only.

 
Additionally, Journey ticketholders can also receive a discount on Bob Dylan & Mark Knopfler concert seats which, with the discount, can be as low as $37.50 for the upcoming Monday evening show. Ticketholders must only present their tickets in person at the arena box office for the offer. This offer expires on Saturday, November 10th at 8pm. Box office hours for today are 10am-6pm and Saturday from 12pm-8pm.

Tickets for the postponed Journey concert will be honored for the rescheduled date which will be in January/February 2013. Refunds can be obtained at your point of purchase. Stay tuned for more details.

ArtPrize '12 Recap: DeVos Place and Van Andel Arena Collaborate With Community While Talented Artists' Make Top 100

With another ArtPrize competition well done and over with, we at DeVos Place and Van Andel Arena would like to take a quick look back at the amazing artist accomplishments for which the entries at DeVos Place and Van Andel Arena were able to receive along with some of the great collaborations we were able to participate in.

With over 900 applicants desiring to display their work at one of ArtPrize’s premier venues year in and year out, only 58 were chosen to exhibit at DeVos Place with another two entries down the road outside our sister venue, Van Andel Arena, which is also where we kicked off our participation in this year’s contest.

Coincidentally, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s Fully Charged circus was coming into town for their annual fall run of shows at the arena while ArtPrize was also ready to kick off. Combining the two occasions, Van Andel Arena was able to host a Pachyderm Painting Palooza on September 19th with special guest, Asia the elephant. Van Andel Arena also worked with the Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority’s Community Inclusion Group to bring in a dozen children from local schools to paint with Asia, herself...using their "trunks", of course.

But Van Andel Arena wasn’t the only venue having all the fun that day. Over at DeVos Place, hundreds of the public browsed through the venue at DeVos Place's ArtPrize Grand Reception, where they were able to meet and speak with many of the artists themselves. The preview event was part of the Arena District’s preview series, involving many of downtown’s bars, restaurants and venues.

During ArtPrize, local teenagers from the Grand Rapids Community Foundation’s Youth Grant Committee used the area in front of Van Andel Arena on September 29th for one of their annual volunteer projects. Using hundreds of canvas event bags that were supplied by DeVos Place, the Youth Grant Committee offered people walking downtown the opportunity to help children in need feel uplifted and inspired. By asking people downtown to simply decorate a lunch bag that was given to a child through Kids’ Food Basket’s sack supper program, all parties involved were able to utilize their resources for the benefit of the community.

As for the competition itself, DeVos Place and Van Andel Arena were happy to have 13 artists in the top 100 out of 1517 entries.

Cristina Fournier’s From Coast to Coast, Greg Rawls’ Sea Glass, Lis Bokt’s Earth, Scott William Bye’s Rush Docks, Tom Sheerin’s Bird Feeder and Kent Ambler’s Running Dogs all made the top 100. Cracking the top 50 were Peter Halasz’s rainscape from east broadway and canal, Read Lockhart’s The Allegory of the Cave, Clark Art Studio’s Verdigris, Kim Marie Rudolph’s Black Swan and Jody Williams’ Legacy.

Finally, a round of applause goes to Jessica Bohus’ Running on Air and Jack Nixon’s Studies In Light and Form—The Chicago Seven and Michigan Avenue Bridge Sculptures for making the top 25. Just the latest DeVos Place displays to make the top 25, DeVos Place has been well represented in the top 25 every year since ArtPrize started.

Congratulations to these great artists for making the top 100 and beyond. Lastly, thanks to all the artists that displayed their terrific work at DeVos Place and Van Andel Arena. Next year, we anticipate more great entries and look forward to collaborating with and for the community. See you next year!

Van Halen Announces Extended North American Tour

Van Halen has added 18 concerts to its highly successful 2012 North American tour. The newly added dates include a stop at Van Andel Arena on Thursday, July 26 at 7:30PM. Ky-mani Marley is the opening act for all added concerts.

Tickets go on sale Saturday, May 5th at 10 AM at ticketmaster.com, Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices, Ticketmaster outlets or charge: 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are $29.50, $49.50, $75, $95 and $125.

Van Halen recently premiered the video for She’s The Woman, the second single from A Different Kind Of Truth, the band’s first original studio album with singer David Lee Roth since the iconic, multi-platinum 1984. Shot during its on-going live tour, the video presents a greatest
hits of the band’s concert moments.

Fans and music critics alike have praised the group’s recent shows: “Van Halen is still one of the most limber bands in hard rock, with a higher center of gravity than most.” – New York Times

Formed in Los Angeles in 1974, Van Halen changed the rock and roll landscape forever with the release of their self-titled, 1978 debut album. Displaying unparalleled stage presence, musicianship, and songwriting abilities, the band has sold more than 75 million albums sold worldwide and created a record of achievement that is hard to top. Van Halen joins an
elite short list of two-time Diamond Award (10 million sales) honorees for their albums Van Halen and 1984. The band was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in March of 2007.

Opening act, Ky-mani Marley, son of legendary Bob Marley, has gained world-wide recognition and praise for his musical style, which transcends cultural and creative boundaries incorporating world music, hip hop, blues, rock, and reggae into one melodic entity. Since 1999, Marley has
released four studio albums and an autobiography, a GRAMMY nomination, and in 2009 started the charitable Love Over All Foundation (LOAF), which caters to empowering and educating youth. Ky-mani Marley is currently putting the finishing touches on his new album, Evolution of a Revolution.