beli
Blue Crack Addict
Sorry.
MERGED-->LOWER THE TICKET PRICES! + How does U2 justify these ticket prices?
- Thread starter dn9909
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
ultraviolet353
War Child
I appreciate it when Bono thanks us for giving the band a great life, but a real thank you would be to lower ticket prices a bit. $194 for a lower level seat at the back of the arena is crazy. Oh, and U2 also gets a cut of the ticketmaster fee as well (fact).
The GA floor seats are great, though--if you can get them. It is really the top pricing tier that I think is a bit excessive. IMO anything beyond the ellipse on the lower level should not be in the top pricing tier. I live in L.A. and people were talking about the high prices and the $90 shirts as appearing greedy (heard this on line a few times at the merchandise kiosk). That is really my main concern is that the marginal music fan would feel that way about the band that I love.
In the 80's U2 always talked about always trying to keep ticket prices low and never using corporate sponsorship. At this point, I'd rather have a taseful iPod tie-in with a lower ticket price. High prices bother me a lot more than corporate sponsorship.
The GA floor seats are great, though--if you can get them. It is really the top pricing tier that I think is a bit excessive. IMO anything beyond the ellipse on the lower level should not be in the top pricing tier. I live in L.A. and people were talking about the high prices and the $90 shirts as appearing greedy (heard this on line a few times at the merchandise kiosk). That is really my main concern is that the marginal music fan would feel that way about the band that I love.
In the 80's U2 always talked about always trying to keep ticket prices low and never using corporate sponsorship. At this point, I'd rather have a taseful iPod tie-in with a lower ticket price. High prices bother me a lot more than corporate sponsorship.
Last edited:
BWU2Buffs
War Child
Chizip said:
and for the people trying to derail this thread, i dont unserstand why we cant talk reasonably about ticket prices
I'm sorry too, but there was a kind of nice, Sybil like balance bouncing back and forth between ticket prices and M & M colors.
A little levity never hurts and it's a nice way to disassociate from the credit card bills piling up due to the ticket prices.
Anyway, I'll stop.
beli
Blue Crack Addict
The $90 shirts are supposed to be Fair Trade shirts, thats why they are expensive.
BWU2Buffs said:
i know, and i understand you guys didnt want this to turn into a huge bitchfest about ticket prices, as there is already enough bitching going on
but it was turning into a reasonable discussion, so no need to derail it yet, if it does turn into a bitchfest then you have my permission to continue
i did some calculations to see how much u2 would be bringing in. I assumed 10,000 lower level 165 dollar seats, 10,000 upper level 95 dollar seats, and 3,000 on the floor 50 dollar GA seats
that comes out to 2,750,000 per night
i counted up 77 total north american shows
that equals almost 212 million for just the north american shows
i know they wont get all of that, but that is a good chunk of change
and i can guarantee you this tour is not costing more than popmart did per night, which was 250,000
so i have a feeling our boys wallets will be a little fatter after this tour, but they deserve it for being the best band in the world
VertigoGal
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
LivLuvAndBootlegMusic said:
Yeah? I thought that's what they do anyway? I thought they didn't take corporate sponsorships. I'm not saying they play free concerts. But I think $50 for GA, $70 for uppers, and $90 for lowers would be a good, reasonable price scheme for such a popular, in-demand band.
the thing is, u2 doesnt really pay for production out of their pockets, at least they didnt for popmart
im not sure if they did this same type of thing for this tour, but they probably did
either way, u2 makes big big bucks from their tours no matter what. and i have a feeling ticket prices are more of a "prestige" thing then for making money
but look at it this way, if prices were much cheaper, then it would be even harder to get tickets
im not sure if they did this same type of thing for this tour, but they probably did
either way, u2 makes big big bucks from their tours no matter what. and i have a feeling ticket prices are more of a "prestige" thing then for making money
but look at it this way, if prices were much cheaper, then it would be even harder to get tickets
unosdostres14
Refugee
While we're complaining to Bono....let's tell him how awful the setlist is. Can you believe it? I mean c'mon! Vertigo! They should not have played that! (Proceeds to complain about two songs from the entire setlist)
VertigoGal
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
unosdostres14 said:
Oh come on...I'm making a legitimate point about the high ticket prices. I'm not saying they should play for next to nothing, I love them more than any band, I cannot wait for my concert and am so excited to be going, and I'll be happy with just about any songs they play. I'm not a whiner. I think they are charging too much, and at $95-165 for the tickets most of us can get, it's a legitimate point. Don't act like I'm one of the *OmG y r tHeY pLaYiNg ThE nU sOnGs!?!?!111 u2 sUcKs HaRd!!!!11 pLaY hAwKmOoNe!!!1* people
RadRacer
The Fly
No we can't, because people don't want to read, and they're only interested in derailing and chit-chatting.
People hate and don't read posts / replies that are more than 1 paragraph long (fact).
Concerts are a luxury not only to be awarded by the rich, or so we hear from U2, themselves, who want to keep ticket prices low for real fans to show up at their concerts. Talk alone doesn't do it, however, and U2 don't do what they have to do, now. Back in 1992 they proved that U2 was a stadium-filling band, demand even outstripping the supply of seats available. What followed was PopMart, a tour that receives a lot of flak on this forum. The Pop album had disappointing sales, but U2 still chose to tour stadia. But a U2 show is more than the album they just dropped, and plenty of fans came out to support them, nonetheless. The tour made plenty of money, but, in the same sense as with the album, it was a disappointment. Still, the fans who attended PopMart and liked it far outnumber those who disliked it. Three years passed and All That You Can't Leave Behind took off. The Elevation tour, however, was all about "returning" to the fans with that (now trite word) "intimacy" of smaller venues, besides being the testing of waters for the world's appetite for U2 after the era of Pop. The tour is considered a grand success, but when you look at the facts, it did not make as much money as PopMart and saw many fans left out, despite the fact that they played more dates. Today, U2 are at the pinnacle of their popularity and still they don't but good market research to use.
Especially with "Atomic Bomb", they don't need to worry about selling out whatever venue they play.
U2 can still play arenas if they want, but doesn't a band that has become so incredibly big feel a certain responsibility to reach as much of their base as possible?
Do I need to say that the time to play stadia has come again, if indeed it ever went away? This, for U2 a simple choice, would have made a world of a difference for all ticket problems I have mentioned in my earlier thread. With more availability scalpers and ticket brokers would be less inclined to try to make money off a U2 tour, the way they're doing, now. However, this would not eliminate the problem, because U2 can, as they have done in the past, sell out stadia. I have a proposition to make that would make it fairer for real U2 fans: Why not put all the announced shows on one leg on sale the same day, the same hour. I know ticketmaster would be overloaded, but wouldn't it make all the U2 fans buy tickets at their nearest venue, before trying to get tickets for other cities? Think about it, with the way it's now, people from California are trying to get tickets for Florida because they have the time and because, once fans have been shut out from their local venue, many are willing to pay extra for it. If it would be done this way, you could still go and see U2 on multiple dates, via friends, release of additional tickets as the date nears, or a (fortunately weakend) eBay/scalper/ticket broker avenue. But, wouldn't it be nicer to know that every city you see them in would, first and foremost, include local fans in the audience?
the olive
The Fly
My 4th row floor ticket to Popmart (I still have it) cost $60.25 canadian. I would hazard a guess that the lemon alone cost more than the whole Vertigo stage.
I can't think of any other product that has gone up 3x in 8 years.
I can't think of any other product that has gone up 3x in 8 years.
the olive said:My 4th row floor ticket to Popmart (I still have it) cost $60.25 canadian. I would hazard a guess that the lemon alone cost more than the whole Vertigo stage.
I can't think of any other product that has gone up 3x in 8 years.
I can, anything in a stadium or arena ie. concerts and sports events. Anyhow Bono needs to get enough cash to build a castle so he can become King of Ireland !!!
But for real, its all supply and demand, just like anyones job. What if your boss came to you and said "you know what, you could make as much as your making now at some other company but I'd like you to take less because really do you need that car you have, or cell phone." Of course your going to try and make as much as you can and the fact is there's only one U2,so if you were the only one in the world that could do your job you would be paid millions as well, if there was 500 bands just like them the prices would go down bigtime. If you want a real comparison check out other long time established singers/groups and lets see if you can get first row for $50.
Last edited:
joyfulgirl
Blue Crack Addict
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2001
- Messages
- 16,690
I didn't blink an eye at the Elevation ticket prices for seats. I thought it was like going to see a big Broadway show, or a big Vegas show, or like going to the Superbowl, doing something really big and special once. When I lived NYC some years ago the best seats for Broadway shows were already eeking up into the $80-100+ range so of course $135 seemed a fair price for U2 for cryin' outloud. The problem with this delusional thinking was that I forgot that the last time I'd seen U2, during ZooTV, I bought tickets to one show and then went nearly insane getting tickets to another one and then another one...and another one. (And another one.)
Well, you see where I'm going with this. If you're only going to see one U2 show, the $180 doesn't seem so bad. But when Vegas seats really high up and far away from the stage popped up I said forget it. How can those seats be the same as the ones right next to the stage?
Well, you see where I'm going with this. If you're only going to see one U2 show, the $180 doesn't seem so bad. But when Vegas seats really high up and far away from the stage popped up I said forget it. How can those seats be the same as the ones right next to the stage?
The problem here is with the brokers' prices. I was lucky and landed up close tickets to both Denver shows, but I haven't managed to get good seats to any of the other shows. I'm trying for like the October Philly shows or maybe Boston in December. I'll only get seats if they're up close, but I don't want to pay a broker $700/ticket for the seats. Looking at prices for Denver - even now - 6 days before the show - they have barely lowered their prices. Even on e-bay, there's only a couple of bargains to be had. The good tickets are scarce and even more scarce at reasonable prices.
Mr. BAW
ONE love, blood, life
Re: CAN ANYBODY TELL BONO TO LOWER THE TICKET PRICES PLEASE!
I'm not an accountant but please consider this ..U2 doesn't get all that money...
Venue site - vendor wages, electricity; security fees, Local police agency fees, Fire department assessments; insurance costs;
I'm sure that there are a zillion other fees scaled to the ticket prices and that the band probably see's 20 to 25% of the admission ....
As far as the merchandise sales, I don't think EDUN is making the shirts so those, too, went out to a contractor with the best price....you get what you get, no one said we had to buy it...but we do!
Just like real estate, I'll venture a guess that a tour in 5 years might push these same ticket prices up 35%...
dn9909 said:
I'm not an accountant but please consider this ..U2 doesn't get all that money...
Venue site - vendor wages, electricity; security fees, Local police agency fees, Fire department assessments; insurance costs;
I'm sure that there are a zillion other fees scaled to the ticket prices and that the band probably see's 20 to 25% of the admission ....
As far as the merchandise sales, I don't think EDUN is making the shirts so those, too, went out to a contractor with the best price....you get what you get, no one said we had to buy it...but we do!
Just like real estate, I'll venture a guess that a tour in 5 years might push these same ticket prices up 35%...
Hawkmoon04
The Fly
It was the wierdest thing. I was talking to Bono, we were just catching up for a while. Just when I was getting around to asking him to lower the prices Hallie Berry and Jennifer Love Hewytt called on my other line, they needed someone to help them with thier suntan oil. Damn Im sorry but I completely left Bono hanging on the other line and he eventually hung up. Sorry brother!
ZooMacPhisto800
War Child
How does U2 justify these ticket prices?
I'm not a "special member" so I don't have access to the "Search" feature.
I've been wondering this... How do they justify these ticket prices? Is it out of their control?
I'm not a "special member" so I don't have access to the "Search" feature.
I've been wondering this... How do they justify these ticket prices? Is it out of their control?
techfire
Acrobat
Sign of the times, it's hard to see a show for under $50 these days. At least a big show.
ZooMacPhisto800
War Child
techfire said:
The $50 - $100 are fine... It's the $160 (Canadian) ones that are out of control... no pun intended
ZooMacPhisto800
War Child
Axver said:
That may be true, but is that how they justify it? The price is a shock to most, what does U2 have to say about it?
Flying FuManchu
New Yorker
U2 doesn't say squat. They would probably tell you to fuck off, is my guess, if you were to ask them.
However, U2 fans justify it by saying, "Look at Elton John. Look at the Rolling Stones, etc... they do it so U2 must too."
Personally, I have no problem with the ticket prices... I've accepted them but damn the souveneirs alah T-shirts... DAMN! Those are high!
However, U2 fans justify it by saying, "Look at Elton John. Look at the Rolling Stones, etc... they do it so U2 must too."
Personally, I have no problem with the ticket prices... I've accepted them but damn the souveneirs alah T-shirts... DAMN! Those are high!
Popmartijn
Blue Crack Supplier
I think that U2 justify it by saying that they provide the pie and thus want a fair piece of it. And not be just generous by charging low prices (and making almost no money from it) and then seeing how scalpers take the big piece of the pie instead. U2 is putting in the effort, talent and risks, not the scalpers.
innominata8
War Child
Axver said:
i gotta disagree...i've seen many shows in my day, and these prices are right up there for ticket prices. i saw REM a few months ago in boston for $60 (6th row, nonetheless) , and paid nearly that much for crappy nosebleeds for u2 at the same arena. i'm also seeing sting in a few weeks and got tix for under $50... $165 for 'premium seating' is kind of rediculous.
techfire
Acrobat
innominata8 said:
Bands like REM and Pearl Jam keep cost down by keeping the stage design simple, which is cool, I love Pearl Jam when they get on stage with only a few lights and kick ass. U2 has a special effect show that costs money, I'm sure they could keep cost down by using less stage effects, but they seem to like the big effect show and alot of fans seem to think the $165 a show is worth it. Coldplay is charging $300 for a show in Vegas, people seem to think they're worth it because it's sold out, like it or not the market is there.
mkdominatr
Refugee
a 50 millon dollar stage production will lift ticket prices pretty damn quick. i heard they have already collected 350 million in ticket sales...
i heard they have already collected 350 million in ticket sales...
one4u2
ONE love, blood, life
mkdominatr said:
That's exactly why there is no justification necessary- We are paying the prices.
Aardvark747
Blue Crack Addict
I just count myself lucky I am going to a U2 gig!
Similar threads
- Sticky
