Many stiffed at ultra expensive "An Experience With" Sly Stallone in LA!

[Greg2600]

Not sure if anyone knew about these before, but this Experience With group have been hosting these exclusive, ultra-expensive black tie dinners in UK for several years. They've got Arnold, Sly, JCVD, Pacino, Deniro, even Mel Gibson to attend. They do a sit down talk, serve dinner, then hold a photo op session. In USD, it's normally going to cost you $500-$750 to attend and get a photo, not including travel/lodging/etc. Given the names they've gotten, if you're relatively local, or just wish to have a vacation overseas, it's not that crazy a deal.

Fast forward to this year, when they announced their first ever foray into the United States, with Sylvester Stallone. Originally this was supposed to take place in summer down near Sly's other home in West Palm Beach, FL. My friend and I were considering it. However, they swapped the location to Los Angeles, and also chose the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel, one of the most expensive in town. As a result, the price just to attend rose to $1000 a person! If you wanted dinner and what not, even more, to say nothing of the premium packages. They also have a monthly fee for premium members, and I think they sold autograph passes on there, for God Knows what price. Those people may or may not have gone through the line first, but sounds like they got personal items signed, which of course slows everything down. This has happened with these people in UK also.

Anyhow, they held the event last night, December 10, 2022, in LA. Stallone arrived, and about 45 minutes into the supposed one hour photo session, he went and found his wife Jennifer, and LEFT!! Some claim he felt "unwell" but in reality he probably was sick of the M&G. I'm trying to piece things together, but the overall gist is that Sly probably met with less than half the total number of ticket holders. Many traveled from around the country, around the world even, and were left empty handed! Not sure what this company will do for them? Even if they refunded their ticket and photo prices, they're never getting the travel money spent back.

Here's the original event listing with prices: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/experien ... 6701439917

Experience With Stallone Prices

This is their "Free" Facebook group, where much of the info is coming out of. I'm not in their premium, of course. I've provided some, but hiding the names to respect their privacy. Many Instagrams are saying similar things.

Experience With Stallone FB Chat 1

Experience With Stallone FB Chat 2

That's a LOT of people potentially in the photo line....

Experience With Stallone Crowd Size

Only a few got to meet him?

Experience With Stallone Photo Op

UPDATE: Apparently they sold a pre-event Meet and Greet, again I assume to their premium members, and including one guy who got his poster signed, and a photo with Sly, but later was also shut out of the Pro Photo session!

Experience With Stallone Pre-Show

[AJLe]

Totally inexcusable. I’m going to guess (total speculation) that maybe they oversold it to a point Sly wasn’t on board with, and when he saw how many more people he’d have to take care of, he just “took his ball and went home”.

The description of how things played out kinda reminds me of the Jamie Lee Curtis HorrorHound con – she took a lot of time with the first group of VIPs she met, then realized that she had to take care of a LOT of GA level folks, (likely way more than she was expecting to have to do) and started to openly flake out by the end of the night. JLC had sold the entire event as raising money for her charity, so she would have had a ton of egg on her face if she had walked, and had to reluctantly take care of everybody, but Sly obviously has FU money, and didn’t have the PR nightmare of stiffing a charity to worry about, so he apparently just did however many he felt like doing and bolted. Shame.

[class316]

Wow. Imagine that even paying big money for a guarantee is no guarantee. The mind baffles. I wonder if Stallone realizes how many hearts and dreams he crushed. And how much money he cost people. SMH.

Like AJLe said, Totally inexcusable!

I know former board member Bozart went to this. I wonder if he was one of the lucky or unlucky ones.

[Greg2600]

Totally inexcusable. I’m going to guess (total speculation) that maybe they oversold it to a point Sly wasn’t on board with, and when he saw how many more people he’d have to take care of, he just “took his ball and went home”.

None of this surprised me, because this group have done similar in UK. The Mel Gibson meets were messy because again they sold autograph options to premium ($9.99/mo) users. Sounds like something similar went on here. Plus they sold a pre-show M&G that took place in the hallway, that I haven't found out what the cost was of yet. Stallone did these in London, where I believe pretty much everyone there had a photo op, and he went through them all.

Wow. Imagine that even paying big money for a guarantee is no guarantee. The mind baffles. I wonder if Stallone realizes how many hearts and dreams he crushed. And how much money he cost people. SMH.

Like AJLe said, Totally inexcusable!

I know former board member Bozart went to this. I wonder if he was one of the lucky or unlucky ones.

I saw his photo so yes, but sounded like Stallone only did solo ops for 20 minutes or so. You know Stallone couldn't care less, he'll just say they oversold. This might be the worst screwing over in combo history. I mean I've seen or heard about celebs ditching signings very early, but nothing like this. I'm sure money played a role, i.e. Sly was going to stop at a certain point and that was it.

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Experience with Stallone "explanation"

FWIW the "official blah blah blah" is now that Stallone is OLD and TIRED! He left around 10:45PM, I guess that's past his bedtime. Wow!!! I got some more info, evidently he did 150 photos or thereabouts, in 45 minutes. They had some premiums go through, that was those who wasted more money on signed picture frames! Then the solos, but he hadn't completed those. The ones with two-person ops that cost $995 were to go last, so they all got stiffed.



PS: keep in mind this group promoted the first ever Arnold Classic in the UK last year. A huge selling point was the combination meet of Stallone and Arnold Schwartzenegger. Lundgren was also there. However, Arnold bailed pretty late in the game. Stallone still went, but I imagine the financial losses were extreme from Arnold, and I've heard there has been legal action from that against them.

[class316]

These are of course BS excuses. People paid big money and travel costs to be there. Too tired to stand there and pose? Complete and utter nonsense.

People in their 90s have done cons and stayed all through.

[zuko3984]

This is why I will never make any sort of expensive travel to any event that has only one person or a con with only one person I am interested in. I need a minimum of at least 3 guests I'm interested in to do any sort of long distant travel. This case was bad because he was there and I guess just decided to leave before everyone got what they paid for but what about if he legit got sick and had to cancel at the last minute or had to cancel due to work commitments. It's always a risk paying for any sort of travel for an event like this or traveling to really any con.

[WOODMO]

Traveling for one person is scary. I have done it a few times, will probably do it again, but it's a big risk.

[AJLe]

This is why I will never make any sort of expensive travel to any event that has only one person or a con with only one person I am interested in. I need a minimum of at least 3 guests I'm interested in to do any sort of long distant travel. This case was bad because he was there and I guess just decided to leave before everyone got what they paid for but what about if he legit got sick and had to cancel at the last minute or had to cancel due to work commitments. It's always a risk paying for any sort of travel for an event like this or traveling to really any con.

You’re certainly not wrong, but for me personally, the level of need and/or rarity of the guest would certainly play a factor. Would I travel far to get a single mid-level name that was likely to be at Chiller and MonsterMania in the coming months? Of course not, but if some top level want like a Kurt Russell, Ed O’Neill, Courtney Cox, etc, who was far from a sure bet to take other bookings closer to home, was my sole need at a con, I’d almost definitely fly out for it.

I’d also take likelihood of doing future cons into account, even if it wasn’t a huge name. For example, a few years ago I flew out to LA for a Hollywood Show just to get Peter Mark Richman. He was well into his 90’s at the time, and hadn’t taken a booking outside of LA in many years, so I either had to commit to going to LA to get him, or pretty much write him off forever, so I did it. It’s always a case-by-case thing to me.

[Greg2600]

All I can add is that the one fellow who was providing a lot of loose details wound up being refunded (for the photo) by the promoter, and promised "priority" whatever that means on next Not sure how that's gone for everyone else, but the Facebook group seems to have been REMOVED, and I think they blocked me on Instagram, because that's what legit people do.

As for traveling for one person, hey, people do it. I've sort of done it, and been screwed over a few times. Cost of doing business in this hobby. These meets, in terms of vintage A-list talent, were about as guaranteed as you were going to get though. Aside from post-CV19 cancellations and rescheduling, they've had a clean track record. I mean it wreaks for many of these people, although TBH most were not "hurting" from wasting a few grand on attending, let's be real. I was as surprised by what happened as anyone, obviously including the organizers.

My issue with this event is basically the format. There's really no reason to have it at an ultra-expensive venue with a black tie requirement, particularly given Stallone hasn't worn a tie in decades! Like I said earlier, in the UK, general admission (no dinner) with fees was usually between $75 and $100, heck even the dinners could be had for about $125, and photo ops were between $350 and $600 on conversion. Obviously the prices have gone up since the pandemic and with inflation like everything else, but if you were more or less local, you'd walk out with a nice Stallone or Arnold or Pacino pro op for roughly $700 or so. Yes that's a lot of dough, but for most of these people, how are they getting these names? What pissed me off was this LA event, which btw had NO general admission until I guess they couldn't sell the place out, with dinner cost $1100 plus fees for Sly!!! Without dinner, costs of $925 plus fees. That is plain ridiculous, and why, because you had to book the most expensive hotel in town?

Well whatever, glad I was not involved. I'd hoped their move into the United States would actually cost LESS than a UK package LOL. I mean I was really disappointed by the pricing, because IMO these events would have been a big hit in the States as well, especially for these types of names. At this point, I'm not sure who'd they could get that would have pulled me in, besides Sly? I have most of them who would do it.

[zuko3984]

I know people travel for one guest if it's a huge name or a huge want and even though I said I wouldn't travel for one name if I'm being honest with myself there are probably a small amount of people I might consider traveling for if they were doing an event even if they were the only guest I was interest in. I guess my point was more about people being upset about spending on travel being wasted because they didn't get the photo with him. If you travel for one guest you are taking a chance and can't get upset about the cost of travel if that one guest doesn't work out. It's just they way it is. Now in this case I can see being upset with how it went down and being upset about not getting the photo but the travel expenses are what they are and it's always a risk when traveling for one specific guest.

[class316]

I know people travel for one guest if it's a huge name or a huge want and even though I said I wouldn't travel for one name if I'm being honest with myself there are probably a small amount of people I might consider traveling for if they were doing an event even if they were the only guest I was interest in. I guess my point was more about people being upset about spending on travel being wasted because they didn't get the photo with him. If you travel for one guest you are taking a chance and can't get upset about the cost of travel if that one guest doesn't work out. It's just they way it is. Now in this case I can see being upset with how it went down and being upset about not getting the photo but the travel expenses are what they are and it's always a risk when traveling for one specific guest.

The thing is this isn't a street meet. It was an organized event where you paid BIG money. There isn't supposed to be a risk. He showed up and everyone who paid money was supposed to be taken care of. Yet they got screwed.

[mrira]

From TMZ

Sylvester Stallone Fans Pissed After Botched Event, Will Get Refunds
12/18/2022 1:00 AM PT

Sylvester Stallone has some heartbroken fans after an event with the "Rocky" star allegedly sold more photo-op packages than could be accommodated ... and now they'll get refunds.

Sly was booked for a gig last weekend in L.A. called "Experience With Sylvester Stallone LIVE" -- sponsored by a company of the same name, Experience With -- where folks shelled out to have a nice dinner, hear Sly talk onstage and bid on signed memorabilia.

Naturally, there were different ticket packages available -- including some top-tier ones that included a meet and greet and promised a pic with the legend himself ... with pricing options from $750-$1,250.

What ended up happening, though ... Sly wasn't able to get through all the photo ops. We've seen an alleged email organizers sent to disappointed fans that read, "The reason the photos did not go as planned is that Mr. Stallone had to leave the event earlier the expected and was not feeling 100%. Our events can be very demanding, we have to respect the celebrities wishes at all times."

Of course, fans were pissed ... but a source close to Sly tells us the email wasn't accurate. We're told Sly's contract committed him to a certain time with the photo-ops and he actually stayed longer than he had to ... they blame organizers for selling too many of the photo packages for the time allotted.

Ticket buyers flooded Experience With's social pages, and openly wondered whether they'd be getting reimbursed for the Sly incident ... it appears there were quite a few people who were left empty-handed, without any guidance from EW about what was going to happen.

Welp, Experience With is setting the record straight -- telling TMZ everyone who paid for an upgraded photo op ticket with SS and didn't receive one will be reimbursed accordingly.

Experience With also clarified they got through about 60% of the photos so the number of people left hanging amounted to around 100 ... and not 300 like some had claimed online. They also say this sorta thing happens from time to time with their celebs, as these can turn into long nights.

Experience With says all customers have been contacted and offered full refunds or the option to attend another event with Sly in the future.

[zuko3984]

I know people travel for one guest if it's a huge name or a huge want and even though I said I wouldn't travel for one name if I'm being honest with myself there are probably a small amount of people I might consider traveling for if they were doing an event even if they were the only guest I was interest in. I guess my point was more about people being upset about spending on travel being wasted because they didn't get the photo with him. If you travel for one guest you are taking a chance and can't get upset about the cost of travel if that one guest doesn't work out. It's just they way it is. Now in this case I can see being upset with how it went down and being upset about not getting the photo but the travel expenses are what they are and it's always a risk when traveling for one specific guest.

The thing is this isn't a street meet. It was an organized event where you paid BIG money. There isn't supposed to be a risk. He showed up and everyone who paid money was supposed to be taken care of. Yet they got screwed.

It's the same with any convention. It's always a risk if the guest will show or not. I'm sure he had the same outs as they get with any con they do. I;m sure he could have cancelled the whole thing at the last minute if he had some sort of work thing come up. Yes in this case I'd be very annoyed since he was there and he just decided to leave before everyone got what they paid for. But It's aways a risk paying for travel to go to any sort of con or event like this. As long as they are getting refunds on what they paid for and didn't get, the travel expenses are just a normal risk you take when you go to these type of things.

[Greg2600]

In what you would assume to be the epilogue to all this, the owner of "Experience With," Stephen Oleksewycz, has been jailed in the UK, for fraud. Ironically it was NOT due to the shenanigans with Stallone, nor the last minute cancellation of Arnold at their co-promoted Arnold Sports UK Festival. Turns out UK law places strict prohibitions on future business practices when one declares bankruptcy, which Oleksewycz did. For a particular event with Conor McGregor in 2017, he falsified documentation in procuring services from two firms that do live events and streaming. He actually plead guilty to all this a year ago, but I guess the sentencing was delayed quite awhile. He received a 27 month sentence. Shockingly, his £1,495 photo ops with Al Pacino at a Miami event this December still sold out! Though I cannot see how that happens now?

https://www.the-sun.com/news/8769813/co ... led-fraud/