500M Hits for Jackson Memorial Tix

Fans May Register Online for Random Drawing of 17,500 Free Tickets; Video of Event To Be Streamed Worldwide

(CBS)  Last updated 10:50 pm. EDT

A Web site where fans of singer Michael Jackson were invited to register for a random drawing of 17,500 tickets to his memorial celebration was inundated today, shortly after the drawing was announced.

The PR firm Sachs & Associates announced that within the first hour-and-a-half of allowing fans to sign up for the drawing, the Web site received 500,000,000 hits, averaging 120,000 per second.

Duplicate registrations are not allowed, so those seeking a chance are being asked to log on only once. Meanwhile, an additional server has been added to accommodate the volume of traffic.

The random drawing will be held Sunday to award 17,500 free tickets to fans.

As of 8:30 p.m. EDT, there were 524,330 registrants for the service.

AEG has announced that since the registration process was initiated this morning, additional legal terms have been incorporated into the conditions of entry to allow non-U.S. residents the opportunity to register for the random ticket drawing.

The tickets and wristbands will gain the bearer admittance to the Staples Center or to the neighboring Nokia Theatre where the event (beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 7) will be simulcast.

No tickets to the event will be sold.

CBS News correspondent Peter King said organizers are saying anyone who doesn’t have a ticket and a wristband, or a media credential, will not be allowed anywhere near the event on Tuesday. Streets around the Staples Center will be blocked to prevent non-ticketholders from gaining access to the area.

Those who wish to register for a chance to receive a pair of tickets are being directed to the staplescenter.com Web site to register, beginning now and continuing through Saturday, July 4, at 6:00 p.m. P.T.

Only one entry per individual will be accepted. The offer is open to U.S. residents only.

On Sunday beginning at 11 a.m. P.T., 8,750 names will be drawn at random by computer and contacted by e-mail to receive a code with which they will obtain a pair of tickets and wristbands from Ticketmaster.

There will be no distribution of tickets at the Staples Center or at L.A. Live.

In an effort to curb the crowd, the memorial will not be shown on the outdoor plaza Jumbotrons, and there will not be a funeral procession, reports CBS News correspondent Ben Tracy. The cash-strapped city of Los Angeles will likely foot the bill for a massive police presence.

The Jackson Family also announced that a worldwide pool feed of Tuesday's memorial celebration at the Staples Center for the late Michael Jackson will be provided free to all media and for streaming on the Internet.

[PocketCalculator]

Ok reality check people! the Staples Center's PR only claims to have received 500 million HITS, not individual VISITORS.

500 million visitors would have been about one third of the 1,4 billion people in the world with internet access...

...About 8% of the world population...

...Within an hour and a half...

Seriously. I don't care how popular Michael Jackson was, no website would EVER get that kind of traffic. Simply not possible.

99,9% of these hits are most certainly automatically made by bots that generating several random usernames a second, not by actual humans. Some people are spamming that website and making a lot of money selling the tickets they get a hold of to a juicy price on the black market. That's the only logical explaination.

Good PR stunt though. Well done Sachs & Associate.

[kimberlyds2005]

After reading some of these comments it is clear a lot of you making the nasty comments are white racists. MJ was acquitted of the charges! Has DHS ever taken his children away from him? Don't you think that if the allegations were true that DHS would not allow his children to live with him? You cant buy DHS!! But hmmm, MJ had custody of his children!!!

As for as the drugs go, how many of you abuse prescription drugs? How many of you do and refuse to admit it. He admitted it and tried getting help. I imagine being addicted is very hard to overcome. I say imagine as I have never done drugs a day in my life.

Regardless of anything he was an awesome artist!!! His music is what he should be remembered for. My 16 year old son is named Michael and I named him after MJ!! I grew up with his music and love every song. Watching him perform is incredible. I had always wanted to see him in concert before I died but now I wont get too.

He is loved by millions all over the world. What other musician had this much popularity. Not even Elvis! Someone said though, what do MJ and Elvis have to do with each other? They both had a tragic death, they both have Lisa Marie in common, and they both are great artists.

And for anyone's info! I am a 40 year old white, educated, professional female. Michael affected all races, all religions, all ages, all walks of life... Fans in every part of the world!!

He is the best music artist there is. I say "is" because his music will live on forever!!! I love you MJ!!! My thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family!! Remember the good! Remember the music! Rest in Peace King of Pop! You are loved by billions from every corner of this earth!! The coverage, the sales in your music (some 25 years later at that)!!!, the outpouring of people at the Apollo, in L.A. for the memorial, for many other tributes all around the world prove just how much!!!!

Kim (Virginia, U.S.)

[John_Merritt]

As evidenced here on the CBS tabloid news print, we the people, are imploding. Enjoy everything you can, because I am sure we are not going to have many more of these wonderful holidays. You guys are going to make sure of that aren't you?

[j40405]

Most ridiculous thing I have ever heard of. Bury the fella and get on with it. Isn't it amazing how all of these folks who have never actually even met the man can get a day off of work for a non relative funeral. Oh, never mind none of them actually work.

[rollinsg]

http://staplescenter.com/

[TryTakingMyMoney]

The similarities of millions of people and the media idolizing and worshiping Michael and Obama is frightening. I was hoping there were enough of us left to divert the course we are on to socialism but like Michael's "Thriller" I now see that I am surrounded by millions of brainless zombies. Hurry up 2012!

[rollinsg]

Get jealous? What a pathetic loser!
Michael RIP.

[hungry1968-16]

I'll be glad when they mercifully bury this plastic white lady, so we can finally quit hearing about it!

People are dying for their freedom in Iran, our soldiers are dying in Afghanistan and Iraq, our state governments are financially imploding, and ALL that the media cares about is this idiot?!?!

To ALL news organizations: Get a grip, grow up, and start reporting on the stuff that ACTUALLY MATTERS!!

[harpoot]

The sooner that perverted creep is put in a hole in the ground the better. Good riddance.

[rollinsg]

My heart bleeds for MJ. Micheal I love you FOREVER!

[TryTakingMyMoney]

The similarities of millions of people and the media idolizing and worshiping Michael and Obama is frightening. I was hoping there were enough of us left to divert the course we are on to socialism but like Michael's "Thriller" I now see that I am surrounded by millions of brainless zombies. Due to the fact that Michael Jackson is 99% plastic, he should be melted down into LEGO blocks so little kids can play with him for a change.

[yoyoyo77777]

Wow its the millions who are braindead and not you huh. You can't even come up with an origional lame MJ joke, you have to steal the oldest circulating one on the internet. What have you done for the world except be unoriginal?

[TryTakingMyMoney]

Trust me, a hole lot more than you I'm sure like not relying on your chocolate jesus. Let me guess, you are on welfare waiting on more stimulus checks right?

[CaliGirl666]

TryTakingMyMoney: Please, do you really want the rest of us to believe that someone with your level of "intelligence" has any money? You are an ignorant fool who is spouting hate and nonsense. And you can't spell either. Get off your mom's computer and find a job or a hobby.

[TryTakingMyMoney]

500m brainwashed liberals!

[priesly]

whats the link to register for the free tickets for michael memorial

[limerockwebbie]

"
The PR firm Sachs & Associates announced that within the first hour-and-a-half of allowing fans to sign up for the drawing, the Web site received 500,000,000 hits, averaging 120, 000 per second"

Impossible. The internet has only a 1 billion global audience. Incompetent reportage, at best. Self-serving nonsense from Sachs, and the same careful CBS vetting that led to the Rather-gate scandal.

A disservice to journalism.

[MJFAN4LIFE]

Michael Jackson crossed color lines that no entertainer of his time has ever done. He was loved not only in this country but many countries. Someone has mentioned Elvis, who was a racest, performed in front of segregated groups and never stood for equality. Michael loved you whether you were black white, yellow or brown and green for that matter. He helped more people than probably any entertainer alive (or dead for that matter) and his kindness was always taken as a weakness and used against him in the worst way. Yes he deserves the attention of the world. RIP MJ. We will miss you. Never will there be another like you.

[npkppprc]

Pull your head out blind person, he was a drug addicted child molester and the last 15 years of his life was disgusting. He should have been in prison for molesting young boys but paid off his victims families.
What the hell does Elvis have to do with Jackson? This was a completely different time and place plus your info is way off.He will burn for his crimes.

[airboatboy]

by MJFAN4LIFE July 3, 2009 3:56 PM PDT
Michael Jackson crossed color lines that no entertainer of his time has ever done.

Your right on that! He changed from black to white!

[engymass2]

You know.... Ronald Reagan died, Princess Diana, Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Albert Einstein..... I can go on and on.....
How many US Presidents have died before MJ came along ??? NONE OF THEIR CELEBRATIONS OF THEIR MEMORIES COMES CLOSE TO THE LEVEL OF MICHAEL JACKSONS ? He found some area of the human brain and used it to become SUPER FAMOUS......??? How, and what, did he do to accomplish this ?? Oh, did I mention he came from the stock of people who were of the last great slave trade !?!? And still, more popular than ANY of the US Presidents before him....... scientists will be studying this guy for a "long time to come" ..... !!!!
-------
But they should have, and could have had his memorial in the Los Angeles Coliseum..... 500 Million hits.... and its still mid-day Friday....

[brianbwb-2009]

None of the dead presidents had as worldwide acclaim, or had such a positive effect on as many people. Princess Diana did have a monumental world-wide celebration, in case you forgot, and did it without being able to dance or sing.

Dr. King? "White" people hated him, as evidenced by the fact that one of them killed him, so now even though your comment about Jackson's ethnic heritage shows clearly that even in this modern age you still oppose everything Dr. King stood for and died for, you dare invoke his name? You are not worthy of typing his name, let alone use it in your spew.

Einstein? Again, there was no internet, even television was not world-wide in scope at that time, and even you cannot seem to understand that his work, like Jackson's, will live on in history.

As for how he became super-famous, he did it by combining innovative dance with the musical talents of America's most gifted composers and producers, Quincy Jones and Stevie Wonder.

Getting back to his ethnic heritage, that bit of irrelevant info must really be at the core of what has moved you to such hostility, I would pity you, except that such people are not worth it.

[rmcturnan]

I remember back in 77 when Elvis died. It was also a big media event. Politicians rarely get this kind of attention except in the case of something immoral.
As far as Michael Jackson goes, he was a victim of his own fame. Greedy parents who told their kids to lie to become millionaires and the media preoccupation with Jackson. The writing is on the wall...

[carolek_CBS]

please, Farrah is not in the same league as Michael Jackson. I loved Farrah but she did not move and inspire the world the way MJ did. Thats why the differnece in coverage

[exaf74]

GAWD could we get him in the dirt & get it over with! He is getting more coverage than soldiers that have been killed & Sarah Palin resigning. Goes to show where the people of this country have their priorities. Sad.

[brianbwb-2009]

When most of the planet's population can say they have been entertained, inspired, or otherwise positively influenced by dead US soldiers, or or by Sarah Palin, then they would probably receive similar coverage.

Aww wassa matter, widdle neo can't handle a world-wide outpouring of celebration for the cultural contributions of a "Bwack" man? Are we jeawous?

Guess what, when most of the world says one thing, and you say the opposite, you are the one in the wrong.

In this case the world's priorities are correct, I'll take any celebration of dance and music over the celebration of death and neo intolerance any and every day.

[donatell]

What gets me is that you are on here taking your time out and reading the article!! what a jackA@@!!

[irongate60]

Just wondering, how's the economy doing these days?

[everlaw01]

Keep the masses attention off the real story....that's how its done.
While we're watching this mess is California Obama, Peolsi and the rest of the left wing will have driven this country off the cliff...

[45ford]

ha the system to register for tickets has already crashed. imagine that.

[bajajohn1]

And what about a personal favorite...Karl Malden. The Jackson family needs to have their collective heads examined. Condolences to them, nonetheless.

[grabandgo]

Anyone know if they had services for Farrah Fawcett?
This too should be headline news!

[45ford]

Farrah's funeral was held Tuesday at Our Lady of Angels Cathedral.

[ilonka1953]

i am sick of hearing about michael jackson, Why no media attention to Farrah Fawcett, Ed McMahann,David Carrodine... they were very important celebrities too ?... i will be glad when all the attention to him is finally gone...

[everlaw01]

The people of California should not be forced to pay a penny for this funeral....make the Jackson's pay....they got the dough...