You’ve probably heard about the 49ers fan that bought four Super Bowl tickets from a Ravens fan on Craigslist. She paid almost six grand (yes, $5,900) for a note (with the word “go” mispelled) that mocked her team. No tickets; just the note. Ouch!
It’s a news story. The Mercury News reported on Sharon Osgood’s misfortune and the wire services picked it up. It went national. Regardless of whom you cheered for in Sunday’s game, you have to feel some empathy for the fan that got taken.
Ticketmaster CEO Nathan Hubbard heard about the story and made a generous, and savvy move. He gave the woman tickets to the game and arranged breakfast with a former NFL player.
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It was a smart move.
The story — that’s getting national attention — not only pulls at your heartstrings for the poor woman’s naïvete, but, and more importantly for Ticketmaster, it puts Ticketmaster in a good light. The reader automatically thinks, “Man, you gotta be careful. The next time I need tickets to something I’m going to go to Ticketmaster — definitely not Craigslist.”
Ticketmaster’s generosity created public perception that 1) they are good citizens and 2) they are a reputable business. For just under six grand, that’s an excellent marketing bargain.