500M Hits for Jackson Memorial Tix

(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?