Promoters change Cyrus tickets to paperless

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Promoters for teen pop phenom Miley Cyrus have stopped selling tickets at the box office, a switch that will end the crush of parents and youngsters who swarmed Nationwide Arena when her tickets sold in 2007.

When sales start Saturday for the Oct. 7 show at the Columbus arena, they will all be paperless and must be bought by credit card either online or by phone. None will be sold at the box office or Ticketmaster outlets.

Cyrus, 16, is the star of the Disney Channel’s “Hannah Montana” show and the daughter of country music singer Billy Ray Cyrus. Her 2009 North American Tour starts Sept. 14.

Tickets for her 2007 concert in Columbus sold out in 15 minutes leaving countless children disappointed and their parents steamed.

The quick sellouts were blamed on demand as well as scalpers and brokers who buy large numbers of tickets. Each household will be limited to four tickets.

“It’s definitely an attempt ... to make sure the fans coming to the show are buying the tickets directly from the tour,“ said Nationwide Arena General Manager Eric Granger.

The Nationwide Arena sellout and others in the state prompted a state senator to suggest that the then-attorney general should investigate the ticket industry to determine why so many of the hottest shows and sporting events seem to be sold out before tickets even go on sale.

Tickets for the Oct. 7 show are $42.25, $62.25 and $82.25.

Purchasers will be required to show a credit card and ID to enter the show. Granger said adults who buy tickets for children will have to escort them to the gate. Extra staff will be on hand and entrances will be open for two hours prior to the show rather than the standard one hour, he said.

Sean Pate, spokesman for national broker StubHub, called the process needless technology.

“How many Miley Cyrus fans have credit cards?“ he said.

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Information from: The Columbus Dispatch, http://www.dispatch.com

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.