Buy 1 Opry Ticket, Get 1 Free

Talk about a tough economy: The Grand Ole Opry is offering a promotion that if you buy 1 ticket for any show in August, you get 1 ticket free. You have to make the purchase within the next 48 hours. Let me get this straight: they cut to 1 show on Friday and 1 show on Saturday; they raise ticket prices to a top of $53.00, and charge $26.00 for a standing room only ticket; they cut the length of the show; they reduce the number of artists on a show; they "pad" the line-ups of the shows with a number of unknown artists or artists that have not had a hit record; and they wonder why attendance is off!!!! I talked to the Opry ticket office today and I asked about the Opry birthday weekend. Usually, that is 4 shows, with sell-outs for all 4. On the Saturday night first show, I was able to get 4 tickets in the center left section, in the 5th row!! Sounds like the new marketing slogan for the Opry is not working.