ORONO, Maine — The nearly sold-out performance of “The Price is Right — Live!” Wednesday night at the Collins Center for the Arts was abruptly canceled less than two hours before showtime due to lack of legal language on the center’s promotions for the show.
“It came down to the fact that we didn’t adequately explain to the public the ‘no purchase necessary’ aspect to the event,” said John Patches, executive director of the Collins Center. “We tried very hard to rectify it at the last minute, but in the end, we could not permit the show to go on, legally.”
Regulations vary by state, but generally, in order to give away a prize in a contest, contestants must be informed before their participation that no purchase is necessary in order to compete. If purchase were necessary, the contest would be considered a lottery.
“The Price Is Right — Live!” much like its televised counterpart, is a contest that draws a winner based on merit (by winning one of the many “Price is Right” games) rather than chance (a sweepstakes) or purchase (a lottery).
In the advertising for the show, the Collins Center did not post on its website or on fliers that no purchase was necessary in order to compete. Any member of the general public was eligible to register to be a contestant for Wednesday night’s show, regardless of whether they bought a ticket. The ticket merely purchased a seat in the auditorium, though ticket holders also were automatically registered to be contestants upon purchase.
“This was discovered by the company manager [of the tour] late in the afternoon, after they looked at the website and at fliers in the student union,” said Patches. “We needed, legally, to have that disclaimer out there.”
Lt. Scott Ireland, commander of the Maine State Police Special Investigations Unit, confirmed Thursday afternoon that someone from the Collins Center had reached out to police several weeks ago regarding the event.
“Where they did not have to pay to be an actual contestant, we told them that they were absolutely good to go,” Ireland said. “We didn’t tell them to cancel [and] we did not have any further involvement.”
James Gass, an inspector with the Maine State Police Special Investigations Unit, confirmed Thursday afternoon that Collins Center employees had checked on what is required by Maine state law.
“I don’t think it’s written anywhere in a state statute,” Gass said. “There really is nothing in there as far as sweepstakes go. We felt comfortable in the manner it was being done, but I guess the [production] company wanted it advertised specifically that way.”
Some states do require that the “no purchase necessary” disclaimer be clearly displayed, which Gass said isn’t a stipulation in Maine, but is fair advertising.
The $48 tickets will be refunded; credit card purchasers can call the Collins Center box office at 581-1755 between 9 a.m. at 4:30 p.m., while those who purchased by cash or check can expect a check in the mail in the coming weeks.
The Collins Center did not have insurance on this particular performance and lost $36,000, according to UM Senior Director of Public Relations and Operations Margaret Nagle.
“This was one of the most popular shows of our season, and we’d love to reschedule, if possible,” said Patches. “We learned a hard lesson. We’ve never done a game show before, and this show was originally designed to be in a casino setting. This tour was supposed to break that mold. This shouldn’t have happened, and I’m accepting the blame that we did not put that disclaimer in place properly. We’re very sorry that this happened.”
Patches said that in his 41 years working in performing arts centers in Maine and New York, he has never had something like this occur.
“I’ve had cancellations before, but never anything like this before, at the last minute,” he said. “It’s very rare, and I certainly hope it never happens again.”
Among the approximately 1,100 people who bought tickets in hopes of taking in the live version of one of the nation’s most popular game shows was Althea Huntley of Bangor, who went with two of her friends.
“I’m so disappointed,” she said, adding that she has been watching “The Price is Right” — now in its 40th year — since it first aired.
Huntley said the three learned the show was canceled about 6:45 p.m. from a woman they believe is an employee of the center. She said that some of the people who were leaving obviously had been seated already.
“Some of them were wearing their name tags,” she said.
BDN writer Dawn Gagnon contributed to this report.
The show has not been good since Bob Barker left anyways.
I liked Mr. Barker too. He did a lot of good with animals. However- the show’s producers and Bob himself had a fairly long track record of being sued for harassment by the ladies that worked on the game show. Not once but quite a few times.
Likely came down to someone complaining / nit-picking.
Or CCA not being accurate in there advertising. If they were correct from the beginning their is no issue. They were not, we have a issue.
Well high five to you for getting it axed for everyone over splitting a few hairs.
What’s the matter? Did they deny you free admission?
Yes, I was not able to go to the show, but that is the CCA fault. Its not spliting a few hairs. Its about correct Advertising. If you let people get away with it and are not going to enforce it why bother? In the end it was the production company that wanted to shut down. Did you read the article? The CCA was told weeks ahead what do to. The production company wanted all the T crossed.
You obviously had an ax to grind. Congrats on ruining it for hundreds of other people.
What a bummer for the people who bought tickets and went there only to be turned away.
Some little old ladies who have been fans for years drove well over a hundred miles or even spent the night for nothing. I’ll bet some of those folks will be hesitant to buy tickets for future events. Lodging, gas, meals etc won’t be reimbursed to people living on retirement incomes. And people say the Casino is a waste!
Okay, not matter what, still gets your dogs and cats spade or neutered. Bob Barker was the man.
No! Please don’t spade your pets!
Spaying them would be good, though.
Well that does not make any sense at all!! You do not need a ticket to play but you had to pay $50 for a seat??!!
In order to be guaranteed you’ll get in the door, sit and watch the show, you need to purchase a ticket. People who purchase tickets are automatically entered in the ‘become a contestant’ selection process. However, people who have NOT purchased a ticket can also be entered in the ‘become a contestant’ selection process, at no charge. If they are not selected though, they don’t get to watch the show. Those who purchased tickets get to watch the show no matter what. Unless of course, the show is cancelled. Then NOBODY gets to watch.
The cliffhanger guy was out of control…throwing plinko chips everywhere!
This is what happens when common sense is lost….
Thank you CCA for screwing up everyone’s night…
We need more government..
Yeah. We need some big losers in regulatory spots. The winners cant seem to do the job. Vote for losers and you wont be surprised!
Do I sense your sarcasm?
I hope so.
How is this a government issue? CCA didn’t accurately represent the show. I fail to see how that is the governments fault. If people knew that you could be a contestant by showing up and not having to actually buy a ticket I am pretty sure there would have been some people that bought a ticket that wouldn’t have, but just showed up. This seems like an issue were you want consumer protection.
You cant figure it out yourself? The average person commits three felonies a day and doesn’t know it because there is some law against just about everything..Now an entire event was ruined because of bureaucracy..Without the disclaimer they were breaking the law. Some st#pid law created by some hack in a suit because if they didnt declare it was “no purchase necessary” its now a lottery and another handful of laws are broken and a whole new bureaucracy is involved…too much government.
A entire event was ruined because the CCA did not accurately represent the show. So what they can just say what ever they want? There should be no truth in advertising laws? So its okay to make people think, the only way I can be a contestant is to actually buy something? Kind of a bait and switch. I am sure there were people that might not have bought a ticket if they knew they didn’t need one to potentially be a constestant.
I disagree. An entire event was ruined because the CCA didn’t want the heavy hand of big brother beating down their doors. So what? They forgot a disclaimer? Have it anyway and let the public be upset with the CCA. No instead because of bureacracy they have to cancel a show, ruin 1100 people’s evenings and all the expenses they paid to get there, plus the CCA has to eat the cost of the show. You don’t see the absurdity in that??
They could have carried on and had the show anyway, but then they would have committed a crime. They could have gone outside and gathered a bunch of people who hadn’t paid and brought them inside along with the paid customers, but I’m sure they would have exceeded their seating allowance by the government and would have comitted a crime.
If the CCA would have changed the event to a “purchase necessary” even they would have been breaking the law because then it would have been a lottery…
So what they can just lie? They do not have to give accurate information, So they can just tell people what ever they want and not be held accountable? The issue is from the beginning they didn’t tell anyone purchase wasn’t nessary to compete. You think this is big government, when in fact they didn’t get their advertising right, a basic element at that. Tell the truth. They didn’t, they lied by omission People just seem to want to blame the government for their heavy handedness? No, this is squarely on the CCA. I am sure there were people that might not have bought a ticket it they knew they could show up and still be a potential contestant.
“So what they can just lie?”
It was a mistake. Not a lie, but what’s the difference, right? You didn’t get a shot at your free dinet set so someone had better pay!
“The issue is from the beginning they didn’t tell anyone purchase wasn’t nessary to compete. You think this is big government, when in fact they didn’t get their advertising right, a basic element at that.”
It wasn’t advertising it was COMPLIANCE with GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS they didn’t get right. They didn’t have a problem advertising considering it was probably a sold out venue.
“Tell the truth. They didn’t, they lied by omission People just seem to want to blame the government for their heavy handedness?”
Tell the truth?? Give me a break. It was a mistake. God forbid you ever make one. I pray your next honest mistake is met with a S.W.A.T team busting your door down..give them the shpiel about how we don’t have too much government.
“I am sure there were people that might not have bought a ticket it they knew they could show up and still be a potential contestant. ”
Oh sure. I’m sure they felt forced into forking over the dough by the glimmering hope of winning a free washer and dryer..No..by not advertising that it was a “no purchase necessary” kept all of the free loaders like yourself away and the people who pay their way would of had a nice night if not for big brother…
Okay they didn’t advertise accurate infomation. I still fail to see how this is a big government issue. Its not like the compliance issue is that big of a deal. No Purcahse nessary how hard is that? They didn’t do it. This is square on the CCA for fail to provide accurate infomation. Did the government make it so complicated that they didn’t know exactly what to do? Did the swat team show up here? No? Why do we even had adverstising laws then? Let people just advertise however they want free of consequence.
Keep fighting the good fight Mero.
yeah Mero! The 12 year old kid has your back!
Did you read the Article? The CCA had already contacted someone weeks before hand. They were told what to do weeks before hand. It was the production company that ended up canceling because the CCA didn’t advertise how the production company wanted.
The CCA contacted someone out of good faith??? You mean that band of liars you have been ranting against?
afreeradical, You sure do seem to exaggerate a lot in order to make your point. Why do you think that is?
exaggerate? If you say so there P dribble..
Did you even read the story?
An entire event got ruined because you tried (unsuccessfully) to get something for nothing,
No, I paid for my ticket. Just mad that people think this is some heavy hand government ruining everything. Nope just the CCA not getting their act together.
Dude, seriously. Read the article.
“I don’t think it’s written anywhere in a state statute,” Gass said. “There really is nothing in there as far as sweepstakes go. We felt comfortable in the manner it was being done, but I guess the [production] company wanted it advertised specifically that way.”
I love it when people blame “government” every time there is a freaking cloud in the sky.
Sounds like a more clearly written statute or “more government” by your loose definition, could have saved this event.
really duuuuuuuude?? You can’t see how the production company was worried about being compliant to the government? Maine doesn’t get involved if you do not require contestants to pay, but the fliers didn’t specifically state that soooooo I guess they were worried about it being considered a lottery? Are you following this duuuuuude?? How do you keep track? Far out maaaaaaaaan…
“Sounds like a more clearly written statute or “more government” by your loose definition, could have saved this event.”
I love it when people call for more “government” to fix the failures of government
Why do you fail to understand that it was the production company that was simply trying to cover themselves. The state had no issue with it as stated below. Believe me I am not an advocate of big brother having their hands into every aspect of our lives either, but this is pretty simple.
“Lt. Scott Ireland, commander of the Maine State Police Special Investigations Unit, confirmed Thursday afternoon that someone from the Collins Center had reached out to police several weeks ago regarding the event.
“Where they did not have to pay to be an actual contestant, we told them that they were absolutely good to go,” Ireland said. “We didn’t tell them to cancel [and] we did not have any further involvement.”
It was never an issue of government shutting them down. Why do you fail to understand that the production company was watching out for themselves? Why would they just shut it down over some flyers? They obviously were scared that the state could come back on them in a legal manner.
Because there are consumer protection rules. If you do not enforce them why have them? What we can just let them say what ever they want?
Consumer protection? Give me a break. The gub-mint doesn’t write rules for your protection. They write them to keep you in line and to collect money.
Paranoid much?
Oblivious much?
You talk as though the government is some kind of clandestine organization of faceless people. WE are the government.
” WE are the government”
That’s cute and I’m sure it makes you sleep better at night, but the reality is you are a nobody. The people in charge are a small group who rule over the rest of us. I know you get to vote yourself in a a new master every couple of years, but you don’t make the rules.
I did get a chuckle out of “we are the govt” comment…
That is a farce..
That’s what They want you to think.
A government run by political action committees is not a citizen government. A government run by political favoritism is not a citizen government. A government run by large corporations is not a citizem government. If we are to ever have a citizen government again we must insist on term limits of one term , minimum wage for the electees , the same health care benefits for the electees and social security retirement for the electees !
We the people elect who represents us in Washington or Augusta. We the people are the ones who run for office and who hold office.
We are the Govt??????
Have another one..LOL
No, I can’t see it, and as myself and others have posted, it is obvious that the production company is to blame.
Now, having no rules, no consumer protection, may sound good in your totally far out imagination where one word, “government” is the cause of all of mankind’s problems. That world must be great, seriously. So simple, so easy. Screw personal responsibility, it’s all the governments fault! One prescription for all of life’s problems. Wonderful.
That’s just it. The CCA asked the State Police Special Investigation about it weeks ago.
James Gass, an inspector with the Maine State Police Special Investigations Unit, confirmed Thursday afternoon that Collins Center employees had checked on what is required by Maine state law.“I don’t think it’s written anywhere in a state statute,” Gass said. “There really is nothing in there as far as sweepstakes go. We felt comfortable in the manner it was being done, but I guess the [production] company wanted it advertised specifically that way.”Some states do require that the “no purchase necessary” disclaimer be clearly displayed, which Gass said isn’t a stipulation in Maine, but is fair advertising.The production company wanted another T crossed and they alone ruined the party. No one did anything technically illegal.
“The average person commits three felonies a day and doesn’t know it because there is some law against just about everything…”
Citation, please. Oh, and do you even know what a felony is?
citation? are you too lazy to do a 30 second research project?
Do you even know what google is?
The onus is on you to support your argument. Please cite your source.
Typical lazy entitlement mentality wants everything spoon fed to him…
I’m not responsible for your education. “the average person commits three felonies a day” google it. I don’t owe you a thing.
You didn’t do well in school, I presume. Or you had poor teachers.
And I presume you were babied by your mommy, beat up weekly and took your sister to the prom?
You can’t handle the truth.
Yeah… A provocative title of a book. No actual studies or surveys, just a provocative title of a book. Sir, that’s not a citation. Please learn some critical thinking skills.
No studies or surveys? There are a dozen sites that pop up almost immedietly with examples of how the average American concievably commit three felonies a day. Were you expecting a government survey on how the federal government has come to that conclusion? Any person with two brain cells could easily come to the conclusion. At the very least Americans commit many petty crimes a day. I’m sorry if you do not have the wit to see that. You can only bring a horse to water after all…
“Conceivably.”
Thank you. You just blew up your own argument.
Psst… There’s no such thing as an “average” American or even an “average” person.
Ya, but if they just showed up, they would not have been seated in the auditorium, and instead probably held in a room, waiting to hear if their name is called. I’m sorry, but paying the $48 to be inside and watching the show with 1100 other people, or being stuck in a room with the deadbeat people who didn’t want to pay to get in, and literally wait a few hours to see if you are one of the what… 8 or so people to be called up on stage??? I doubt many people would have bothered to have taken that option.
Really? I think a lot of college students would have. That is not the issue however, the issue is they didn’t accurately represent the show. I still fail to see how this is not squarly on the CCA. If you adverstise you have to give accurate and correct infomation. I fail to see how that is BIG government. It seems like a basic adverstising standard.
Or it’s an issue where you tried to get in free and they denied you. Then you complained and got it shut down.
Sounds like we need fewer lawyers.
We are the Govt and we are here to help you…..
GS1 was originally formed by the private entroprise, er, enterprise, trade organization called the National Association of Food Chains, which Wiki says set the guidlines for a universal product code in 1970.
GS1’s board of corp tools, er, governors.
~~~
GS1 authorizes bar codes, electronic product codes and radio frequency identification codes.
“Shadrach, Mesach and Abednego”
That is the most ridiculous thing that I have ever heard.
what I don’t get – is the part where you didn’t have to purchase a ticket to play, however to have a seat you had to pay – soooo… if it all HAD gone as planned, no one would have bought a seat and everyone would have been standing?? …. i mean really….. how exactly does THAT work?
Those who didn’t buy a ticket would not be allowed in to see the show, they would have had to wait in a waiting area I’m sure. The LIVE show does not operate excactly like the one you see on TV
We went to the live show when they had it at Bally’s in Vegas. Let’s just say, it’s an abbreviated version of the TV show. They aren’t wheeling out campers and cars and trips to Europe in the LIVE version. I’m sure CCA is staring at a $30K+ invoice on this one. I’d have gone ahead, and hoped the fines were less then the loss of paying the show. I mean, who would have made a case out of this in the first place? Do you really thing the DA would have pursued a case against CCA over this???
this state sucks
It worse than that, ….
http://forthesakeofscience.com/2011/01/31/is-maine-the-dumbest-state-in-the-union/the-united-states-of-shame/
And that chart has what to do with this article?
How is this the fault of the State? This is squarely on the CCA shoulders and theirs alone.
So, keep Walking, Dude…..
AS DO U
SO the Collins Center wanted to make a few bucks off a free show…wow what a bunch of jerks
No that is not it at all. You were paying for a seat to watch the show, however the opportunity to win a chance to play was open to paid and non paid. Why is this so hard to understand? CCA messed up by not displaying the fine print when tickets were purchased and on advertisments for the show
all in all it was there fault in the end…i am sick of seeing “we are so very sorry” on their facebook wall
Agreed.. it was 110% the fault of the CCA. They ruined everyones night, I’m just glad I didn’t have to travel that far. I was a little surprised folks were not overly upset, maybe they were in shock?
I started yelling ‘B-S’ but there cops literally SWARMED the area. I was in shock and so were my friends. I drove over an hour to there
OPM-Other people’s money. A private business would not have been as likely to have made that mistake. Those responsible will not take the monetary hit. Let the folks handling the Waterfront concerts have a shot next time around. I don’t go, but they sure appear to be very organized.
Nice greenwash there. I’d rather see another entity get a shot at it. WC has too much of what approaches a monopoly on events in the area.
Greenwash? The point I was trying to make is that when folks are handling money that’s not theirs they are often less careful about the minute details that come back to bite them. When the Cross Center opens the ‘monopoly’ will be less apparent as a national management company will be booking events for the city of Bangor.
” a national management company will be booking events for the city of Bangor” – this is not necessarily a bad thing.
Sad face.
….
and derp.
Maine : Open for Business
Shoulda let Alex Gray handle it…just sayin…
The same guy that had his trashy nightclub shut down in Orono? I bet they love him up there. Live Nation runs the Waterfront Concerts, Alex Gray is a gopher. They should of had Live Nation or Global Spectrum run it. Just sayin…
Alex Gray – not a good guy. *Just Sayin’*
The Collin’s Center for ART?? The Price is right ?
Next Married with Children at the Royal Albert Hall?
and
Eric Cartman live at Lincoln center Singing “Kyle’s Mom’s a B1tch”
ROMNEY / RYAN 2012 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
====> JOHNSON / GRAY 2012 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If advertised no purchase then might have cut down on their sell out crowd. Good for the greedy ticketmaster, how did all those refunds spend.LOL
How can you say…”No Purchase necessary” if people are paying $48 a ticket?
Because you didn’t need to buy a ticket to be eligible to become a contestant.
But if you aren’t in there, because you didn’t buy a ticket…how could you be a contestant?
You would show up, announce that you’re there to be a contestant, and go to a waiting room (the “green room,” in show business parlance) to wait to see whether your name has been drawn to play.
The Collins’ have the money to give back because they pulled the plug on the 1M PIT donation
I’m a little surprised the production company didn’t see the PR earlier than the day of the show. Normally when an organization is presenting an event like this, the production company requires that they be able to sign off on any PR before it’s distributed.
They production company probably picked up a map.. figured out Bangor was way the F*#$ up in Maine and looked for an “out”. “Bangor!? We ain’t trucking our gear up there. Tell ’em.. uhhh.. they got issues with their fliers.”
The show was canceled two hours before it was set to begin. Do you really think the production company had yet to arrive?
It never ceases to amaze me how many people comment/rant/rave and haven’t thoroughly read the article they are commenting/ranting/raving about. It’s like an alternate universe out here!
So why didn’t they just go out and verbally explain it to everyone that was waiting to get in?
YIKES, All this over a SILLY game show. Grow up folks. Shut off the TV. Go for a walk. Go to the library. Read a good book.
Dot the I’s and cross the T’s….
We live in a society where every little detail has to be spelled out or it gives a loop hole for some bum to sue..
I think that this is one of the best articles in awhile that theres a good debate going on in the comments! LOL I do enjoy reading them!!! Duuuuuuude :)
What happen to proofreaders ? Gone by the board these days in higher learning institutes, too ? We see common errors in just about everything we read these days thus, even Newsweek is going strictly digital so it can be correctly quickly, I assume. Of course, there are many more reasons in this technical era.
Collins Center lost $36,000 dollars that could have been used to educate
students , or maybe the promoters involved with this bungled affair.
if you think education is expensive , what is the cost of ignorance??