Up until around 15 (or so) years ago, ticket scalping was illegal in the state of Florida. Then, the Florida Legislature, in their infinite (lack of) wisdom, changed their minds. The new law now allows a legitimate company, broker or website to resell tickets for sports and entertainment events without a price limit. The Legislature did install a few “consumer protection features” – each reseller must also allow refunds for ticket purchasers if the event is canceled; the purchaser is denied admission to the event; or the ticket is not delivered in the manner requested, causing the purchaser to miss attending the event. You still can’t resell tickets on the actual property where the event is taking place. God forbid.
What this has done is basically price many sporting events and concerts out of reach of the average fan. I often go to the Ticketmaster website to try and find tickets to concerts and other events. Ticketmaster now features resale tickets along with standard face value tickets. Legalized scalping. Not only that, but Ticketmaster’s “dynamic pricing” means that desirable non-resale ticket prices are subject to demand — the hotter the event, the more you pay. That’s why the average ticket prices for Taylor Swift’s recent Eras tour ranged from more than $1,000 to more than $3,000 — per ticket. Single ticket prices actually exceeded the $10,000 mark, with some tickets for the last show on the tour exceeding $14,000.
Nosebleed 400-level seats that used to have a face value of under $50 are going for two to three times the original price. If you dream of sitting in the lower level, the (relatively) reasonably priced $180-$250 seats are now going for over $600. And if you want to get closer to the court, field or stage, you better figure on shelling out a grand or more.
Keep in mind that none of these tickets includes food, drink, or even a kiss on the cheek. Whatever food you want certainly isn’t cheap. And drinks? Bottled water is $6. Beers go for $13 and up. Mixed drinks start at $17 – or you can get a “double” for just $25. With a tip, your cocktail just cost you $30. How many drinks do you really want? Let’s not forget the $20-$40 parking charge as well.
And how does the typical middle-class American family of four afford to come out to a concert, or an NBA or NFL game? The answer is, they can’t. Pro sports have been priced out of the reach of the average person. (Although I understand that Miami Marlins tickets might still be a bargain…) And musical artists are charging more per show because live performance is one of the only remaining income streams, since no one can make a living selling records anymore.
All this does, however, is play into the greed of the reseller. Ticketmaster, StubHub, and other online resellers have made millions off of what used to be illegal in Florida (and many other states). Some acts, like James Taylor, Bonnie Raitt and others, set aside good seats at good prices for their actual fans. They include safeguards like fan-club-only online sales, ticket limits, will-call pickup on the date of the show and other measures to ensure that their real fans get the good seats.
Still, many fans are opting out of the live event experience altogether. When costs for a couple enjoying dinner, drinks and decent tickets for an event can easily top $1,500, it’s suddenly a lot more attractive to stay home, watch on the big screen and feast on cheap pizza and wings. Parking at home is cheaper, too.
Gone are the days back in the 1970s and 1980s when I could go see a major recording artist for somewhere between $10 and $30 a ticket. That was when major labels would often underwrite touring costs to help improve and increase record sales. Sadly, expensive event ticket prices are here to stay. At least local musicians can be enjoyed simply for the cost of dinner or a drink — hope to see you out soon! Just don’t ask for any Taylor Swift.
– Catch John live next Wednesday at Boardwalk in Big Pine, Thursdays at Sparky’s Landing, Saturday night at Brutus Seafood, and Sunday afternoons at Skipjack Tiki. Find his music anywhere you download or stream your music. www.johnbartus.com • johnbartus.hearnow.com