Cancelled Concert Really Disappoints Contest Winner

A lot of people were shocked when they heard the reason behind the cancellation of the “big” Bon Jovi concert scheduled for July 14 at the Cleveland Browns’ massive FirstEnergy Stadium: The band reportedly had sold a mere 3,500 tickets.

Those 3,500 people are no doubt disappointed, but none of them is more disappointed than Sarah Harkness of Ellet, according to canton.com.

Shortly before the cancellation, Harkness had hit the radio equivalent of the lottery.

A loyal listener to Hot AC WHBC 94.1-FM in Canton, known as “Mix 94.1,” she won the station’s biggest prize of the season:

• Two VIP passes to the Bon Jovi show.
• A limo ride to and from the stadium.
• Dinner for two.
• Hotel accommodations for two.
• A promise that she could “raid the Bon Jovi merchandise booth.”
• Two Cleveland Browns jerseys.

After the concert was canceled, her prize turned into this:   Nothing.

Harkness had assumed she would get a decent alternate prize, given the contest rules posted on the station’s website, which say the station has the right to substitute prizes “of equal or greater value.”

But the best the station would do for her was to waive the normal requirement that contest winners have to wait 30 days to enter another contest.

Mind you, Harkness is not a casual listener. She has been riveted to WHBC since 1992. When asked how many times she called the station trying to win a prize, she replies: “Oh my God! At least a couple hundred, maybe more!

This woman is a program director’s dream: loyal, active and, as a 37-year-old female, right in the heart of a cherished advertising demographic.

Is this any way to treat a superfan?

John Stewart, the station’s program director and operations manager, initially said the matter was completely out of his hands.

WHBC-FM is owned by NextMedia of Englewood, Colo. The company has 29 radio stations in eight states.

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