No Richie on current leg of the tour

I don't think it's about the singer - it's, for me anyway, more about Jon in his role as self-professed CEO of a company. In that role, he holds all responsibility. Not for Richie, or the tour, but for communication, fan relations and for trust in the band.
Someone has cocked up - fans are upset left, right and centre - and who takes the can? The head of the company.
Step forward, Mr Bongiovi.
Now step back.

Ronjovi shoots and scores Awesome!!

I get what you're saying but...

What if, and it's the only official story we've gotten, Richie has said to Jon "I have this going on. I can't tour. I don't know when I'll be back. Please don't say anything".

What is Jon supposed to say beyond "It's a personal issue. He is still in the band and he will be back. Please support Richie." Which is what he has said. Beyond that, if this is what Matt and the band have said it is, I don't know what else Jon can do without betraying his friend. It sucks for the rest of us but maybe it's one of those situations without a right answer and Jon is trying his best to do right by everyone (i.e. keep the show on the road for the fans while keeping loyal to Richie).

There is quite a difference when it comes to Rich or Jon performing whatever as solo artist and a band named Bon Jovi performing whatever. Without one of the corner stones it isn't the band people pay to see.

Jon should change the tour to "Jon and his buddies." For example, when Black Sabbath's tour got f*cked up due Tony Iommi's cancer, Ozzy & Co didn't tour as Sabbath but as "Ozzy & Friends", which was fair to the fans.

I can't really see any situation that can't allow for more of an explanation to stop the craziness that's going on right now.
If he's ill, say he's ill. If's it's family, just say it's his family. If it's a fall, then have some balls.
"Personal issues" is an out-dated attempt to pretend all is well.
Unfortunately, it seems regardless of the rights and wrongs of what they SHOULD do, they've caused more problems than they need have - be it Jon, Richie, promoters or management.

For one leg, fine. But to add two more months to his absence due to "personal issues" without further explanation is unacceptable. This is affecting hundreds of thousands of fans and their money. Richie saying "hey buddy, don't tell" is a crock of shit.

Bon Jovi is a business. What other business can get away with only delivering partial goods when they were paid for in full? What other business can get away with such a veiled, vague excuse for an extended period of time? I understand this is all Richie, but as CEO, Jon needs to step up and offer more than "personal issues".

So now Oz will go on sale any day now. If it's already known Richie is gone for the rest of the tour, I 100% believe Jon would keep it under his hat so that ticket sales will not be any more affected than they already are. If that's not the case, again, Jon needs to give fans more info so we can truly understand the uncertainty of when/if Richie will return. Personally, I've had it with the "personal" excuse.

Aloha !

The difference is that Tom Hamilton pulled out of 2 shows and has a history with throatcancer. Aerosmith gave a reason, and pretty much all Aerosmith fans accepted the situation because everyone's aware how Tom doesn't make "The" Aerosmith sound, save for a few songs.

Compare this to Bon Jovi, where no reason is given and everyone just has to accept it for what it is, refunds aren't given, and the guy who's created most of the songs and gave them their signifying sound pulls out. I'd say that's a very different situation.

Boo-ing Jon sounds fair to me. Jon doesn't offer refunds, thus makes people "have" to go to a show they no longer want to see. He's the CEO, he's in charge, and could postpone or cancel the shows if he'd like to. He doesn't, because it costs him money, thus boo-ing sounds rather well deserved to me.

I've also got 10 times as many posts than steel horse and hereby consider him a newbie as well, which makes his whole argument childish and invalid.

Salaam Aleikum,
Sebastiaan

They go on sale 20th May. The dates have been announced.

Tour Dates
December
7 - Etihad Stadium, Melbourne - Tickets: www.ticketmaster.com.au or 136 100
11 - AAMI Stadium, Adelaide - Tickets: www.ticketmaster.com.au or 136 100
14 - ANZ Stadium, Sydney - Tickets: www.ticketek.com.au or 132 849
17 - Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane - Tickets: www.ticketek.com.au 132 849

I don't agree. If Richie has said "Don't tell", what is Jon to do? Tell anyway? How would that go down? Matt has already said this is Richie's to tell. Therefore, I don't see what Jon can really do, even as the self appointed CEO.

I think it's nonsense to think they are protecting ticket sales. Most people will go anyway. Like it or not, it's only the die hards that see Richie as integral to the band. Ticket sales won't be affected that much as long as Jon is there.

Even if that was the case and they were delaying announcements to maximise sales, then why not string the Europeans along for a little bit longer? Doesn't make sense not to going by your logic.

The damage Jon would do himself and the band if it is to come out now that Richie has always been gone would be huge. Whatever sales he would be protecting would pale compared to the reputational loss, credibility loss and future sales he would lose amongst the die hards for being a liar.

Jon is a smart businessman. There is no way that this is to protect ticket sales.