I'd like to express my thoughts regarding the Boston Strong Concert held at the TD Garden last night as a Charity Event to raise money for the One Fund, the charity fund setup immediately after the Boston Marathon Bombing.
First and foremost, I don't want my opinions to overshadow the gratitude and generous spirit that went into the event. To the people who were able to sell out a concert in less than 5 minutes. To the entertainers that donated their time and equally donated their talents. To the venue staff and management of the TD Garden who allowed this concert to proceed without any facility costs so that all money could go directly to charity. To those people, we thank you. And finally, but definitely not last, all of the people that were affected by the tragic events of 4/15/2013. Our hearts are with you.
Long Pause
Sigh.
Begin Rant
I'm incredibly disappointed with how this concert was executed, and how potentially millions of dollars were ignored, that could've been added to the total amount of money raised for the One Fund. This was a charity concert. It should've been televised, it should've been maximized. There should've been a call in number that people could donate to.
Over 6 Million People locally in the Greater Boston area were in some form or fashion either directly or indirectly affected by these events. All of us, want opportunities to help. Many of us have, and I don't want to discount the tremendous fund raising efforts that have happened both in the public and private sectors. But the TD Garden at best seats just under 20,000 people. That's a mere fraction of the viewing audience that wanted to see this concert.
Last night, we tried to find the concert on TV, but couldn't. It was only available over a live web stream, that failed frequently. It was difficult to keep up with what was going on, and then Dane Cook decided to pull a stunt that I think was the sleaziest move ever. He had his portion of the show blacked out to the live stream because he didn't want people outside of the Garden to hear his new material. Is that really charity?
I get that one would operate like this if the event that you're participating in is for profit. You want as much money coming back to you as possible. However, to sign up for a charity event and then use it as a platform to jump start your new material... well that's just pathetic.
You might argue that if I'm complaining because I missed an opportunity to donate, that I can still donate, and that's true. You still can! Just go to https://secure.onefundboston.org/ ! But that's not just the issue. The event, if televised, would've drawn a national audience. I absolutely guarantee it. That audience, would've been enamored by the events and enticed to donate.
Why do you think Telethon's and Jerry Lewis were so successful? They drew a national audience for awareness for a charity that people already knew about! But the event is such a spectacle that people are enticed to give more.
Over 6 Million People locally in the Greater Boston area were in some form or fashion either directly or indirectly affected by these events. All of us, want opportunities to help. Many of us have, and I don't want to discount the tremendous fund raising efforts that have happened both in the public and private sectors. But the TD Garden at best seats just under 20,000 people. That's a mere fraction of the viewing audience that wanted to see this concert.
Last night, we tried to find the concert on TV, but couldn't. It was only available over a live web stream, that failed frequently. It was difficult to keep up with what was going on, and then Dane Cook decided to pull a stunt that I think was the sleaziest move ever. He had his portion of the show blacked out to the live stream because he didn't want people outside of the Garden to hear his new material. Is that really charity?
I get that one would operate like this if the event that you're participating in is for profit. You want as much money coming back to you as possible. However, to sign up for a charity event and then use it as a platform to jump start your new material... well that's just pathetic.
You might argue that if I'm complaining because I missed an opportunity to donate, that I can still donate, and that's true. You still can! Just go to https://secure.onefundboston.org/ ! But that's not just the issue. The event, if televised, would've drawn a national audience. I absolutely guarantee it. That audience, would've been enamored by the events and enticed to donate.
Why do you think Telethon's and Jerry Lewis were so successful? They drew a national audience for awareness for a charity that people already knew about! But the event is such a spectacle that people are enticed to give more.
Then there's the issue of, more than just 20,000 wanted to participate and be Boston Strong together. Millions of us, wanted to participate in the spirit of the event by watching on TV's in our homes, bars, sports pubs, and other venues. But we couldn't. So instead, we felt left out, and devalued as a society that wasn't Strong enough to to get tickets within the 2 minute windows that they were available.
Anyways, I feel like this concert could've, should've, and would've done so much more than it did.
End Rant
