Spent a week in Portland and Seattle. Rained heavily in Portland (surprise!), not much in Seattle.

I’m from Portland originally, just haven’t been back much. Happy to see Ken and my relatives. Seattle was to get caught up at Brown Paper Tickets. Really an amazing company. So unusual: let’s help the producer, the public and contribute to good causes…..and oh yes, a 99-cent service charge on all tickets and if you are with us, we will work with you on a free promotion package that is amazing. Glad that a number of leagues and attractions are taking us up on that.

I call working for BPT my penance. It all started with promoter Bill Graham and our desire to get his ticketing business, so I gave him a 25 cent rebate on all tickets we sold……and over the years that has grown to be the reason that there are some $40 service charges that other ticket companies charge, and the Derby leagues that have to use them sometimes find that the service charge almost equals the ticket price. (Rabobank Center in Bakersfield, for one….I know there are others).

And BPT has a very active Derby division, as well as music, arts, clubs,theaters etc whose only purpose is to educate and aid those providing culture and entertainment. see http://www.brownpapertickets.com.

Where did they go wrong?