Springstreen: Deal to sell greatest hits CD exclusively through Wal-Mart "A Mistake"

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Bruce Springstreen: Wal-Mart Deal "A Mistake"

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/30/bruce-springstreen-wal-ma_n_162652.html



NEW YORK — The Boss is owning up to a mistake. In an interview with Sunday's New York Times, Bruce Springsteen says he shouldn't have made a deal with Wal-Mart. This month, the store started exclusively selling a Springsteen greatest hits CD.

Some fans were critical because Springsteen has been a longtime supporter of worker's rights, and Wal-Mart has faced criticism for its labor practices.

Springsteen told the Times that his team didn't vet the issue as closely as he should have, and that he "dropped the ball on it."

Springsteen went on to say: "It was a mistake. Our batting average is usually very good, but we missed that one. Fans will call you on that stuff, as it should be."

[CraftyGal]

1. Good on you Springsteen.

We are all human and do make mistakes from time to time.

CraftyGal

[Ichingcarpenter]

4. Good for Bruce... I wonder if that guy that made the deal

is still on Bruce's 'team'?

He had the ultimate responsibility but he
has people making the deals and sometimes
they slip through.

[Journeyman]

2. And odd mistake to make -- wonder what the incentive was to give Wal•Mart an exclusive? . . .

And by that, I mean, what was the incentive for Springsteen to limit the distribution points.

[NightWatcher]

3. "mistake" is he got called out on it

had no one raised a fuss, he wold have gladly cashed the checks

[flvegan]

5. Who's his record label?

They likely had more to do with making the deal.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

7. It's still Columbia...

...and yes, if he's under contract to them, the "hits" CD would have had to have been licensed to Wal-Mart.

[glinda]

6. Too late, damage done.

[hughee99]

8. Vet the issue?

One of his people: "Hey Bruce, what do you think about an exclusive deal with Walmart?"
Bruce: "Walmart, fuck Walmart!"
or at the least. "When they start treating their employees better and let them unionize, I'll think about it".

Now if this was one of those "I don't handle the management" situations where he wasn't notified until after the ink was dry, I can't fault him for this. If this is the case, he handled it okay by not throwing one of his people under the bus for this.

But vetting? What "investigation" is really necessary? Walmart is a pretty well known quantity, and Bruce should have said something the day he heard about this (to stop the deal if possible).

[cobalt1999]

9. Exactly

How much vetting is needed when the name Walmart comes up?