Is $80 a ticket too much in Boston?

dean_siu · Post by **dean_siu** » May 2, 2004 6:51 pm

After paying $200 for tickets to see Jimmy in Vegas, I was surprised to see some people express sticker-shock about $80 tickets in Boston.

I thought this may have been a market where shows are drastically cheaper though....so I decided to do a little research.

In the next 2 months, here are some shows coming to the Boston area and what their top ticket prices are....

KC & The Sunshine Band 52.50
Ginuwine 65.75
Yes 74.50
Aerosmith 75
Britney Spears 76
Van Halen 89
The Who 125
Fleetwood Mac 125
Sting 127.50
KISS 200
Madonna 300

Personally, I still find Jimmy a value at $80 based upon the competition and what their tickets run....What do others think?

PARROT HEAD MIKE · Post by **PARROT HEAD MIKE** » May 2, 2004 6:52 pm

It will be a great price if I get tickets for both nights.

tommcat327 · Post by **tommcat327** » May 2, 2004 8:31 pm

keep in mind that 80 bucks is not what anyone will actually spend.after the ticket brokers are allowed to buy 80 percent of the available tickets then put their own price on them i'm thinking fenway tix are goin to be in the 3-4 hundred dollar range for the average fan.not a bargain in my book

northeasternparrothead · Post by **northeasternparrothead** » May 2, 2004 8:40 pm

tommcat327 wrote:keep in mind that 80 bucks is not what anyone will actually spend.after the ticket brokers are allowed to buy 80 percent of the available tickets then put their own price on them i'm thinking fenway tix are goin to be in the 3-4 hundred dollar range for the average fan.not a bargain in my book

i'll tell ya, me and a couple local ph's couldn't make the labor day weekend show in great woods last year, and made the 10 hour drive down to merriweather in maryland.....@ 3-400 for tickets this year as it could be expected, driving south might be the thing to do again this year

how bad is that? theo espein....you're disapoinitng me brotha

bumper · Post by **bumper** » May 2, 2004 8:41 pm

paid more then 80.00 for Vegas..no complaints. In fact, add up the hotel stay, the booze and food it comes out just a tad higher. Fenway is a steal

tommcat327 · Post by **tommcat327** » May 2, 2004 8:42 pm

northeasternparrothead wrote:
tommcat327 wrote:keep in mind that 80 bucks is not what anyone will actually spend.after the ticket brokers are allowed to buy 80 percent of the available tickets then put their own price on them i'm thinking fenway tix are goin to be in the 3-4 hundred dollar range for the average fan.not a bargain in my book
i'll tell ya, me and a couple local ph's couldn't make the labor day weekend show in great woods last year, and made the 10 hour drive down to merriweather in maryland.....@ 3-400 for tickets this year as it could be expected, driving south might be the thing to do again this year

how bad is that? theo espein....you're disapoinitng me brotha

i rented an RV and drove to cincy 2 years ago for the show and it was cheaper than just a ticket to GW

tellyRN · Post by **tellyRN** » May 2, 2004 8:43 pm

I have three (albeit lengthy) thoughts for this...
1: There should be an option for "I think it is a little pricey, but I am willing to pay it anyway." (especially compared to what I'm used to coughing up during ticket buying season, *just for the record and in the name of research...last year we paid $66 plus fees for great pavillion seats at GW and a friend claims $28 + fees for lawn* but I can also appreciate the difference bewtween fenway and GW and therefore am willing to pay)

2: In order to be fair, I think it is important to note that tickets for Fenway START at $84 (plus fees), meaning you can not get a seat for less than that through ticketmaster and that we do not yet know what the top price will be. It is a little misleading to compare the above prices which are listed are 'top prices' (typically synonomous with best seats) to the cheapest/presumably worst seats in Fenway.

and finally 3: If I had to guess, I would say the most common $$ complaint is not that the price itself is outrageous or unheard of, but for people who are used to paying $28+ for their yearly fix, are now forced to pay at least $56 more if they so chose to go to Fenway and not travel elsewhere in order to see a show. I think anyone can agree that is quite a markup... whether you think it is justified or not. The numbers don't lie. Now you can read more into this and get into the whole "at least you have a show" or "you're only in it for the tailgating" or the "you're not really a parrothead" debate- or just read the million other threads, but I am simply just talking numbers, in the name of research.. of course.

bumper · Post by **bumper** » May 2, 2004 8:51 pm

Interesting RN.....I just thought about Irvine vs The Pond vs Vegas.

Lawn seats for Irvine were 35.00 plus the usual fees, Vegas cheap seats went 65.00 plus, and The Pond, somebody correct if wrong but went for 35.00??. certainly in Vegas the highest goes for 200.00. Irvine Lodge went for the same price the cheap seats in Vegas go far. So not only is it a number breakdown it is also the venue played. Now I was told that most of the places that Jimmy plays are based what is financially sound for him rather then what is popular. Playing the Pond is worth two nights at Irvine. Now that I think about it, we did two shows in Irvine anyway so he is saving us a little

mason · Post by **mason** » May 2, 2004 8:56 pm

tellyRN wrote:I have three (albeit lengthy) thoughts for this...
1: There should be an option for "I think it is a little pricey, but I am willing to pay it anyway." (especially compared to what I'm used to coughing up during ticket buying season, *just for the record and in the name of research...last year was $66 plus fees for great pavillion seats at GW and $26 + fees for lawn* but I can also appreciate the difference bewtween fenway and GW and therefore am willing to pay)

2: In order to be fair, I think it is important to note that tickets for Fenway START at $84 (plus fees), meaning you can not get a seat for less than that through ticketmaster and that we do not yet know what the top price will be. It is a little misleading to compare the above prices which are listed are 'top prices' (typically synonomous with best seats) to the cheapest/presumably worst seats in Fenway.

and finally 3: If I had to guess, I would say the most common complaint is not that the price itself is outrageous or unheard of, but for people who are used to paying $26+ for their yearly fix, are now forced to pay at least $58 more if they so chose to go to Fenway and not travel elsewhere in order to see a show. I think anyone can agree that is quite a markup... whether you think it is justified or not. The numbers don't lie. Now you can read more into this and get into the whole "at least you have a show" or "you're only in it for the tailgating" or the "you're not really a parrothead" debate- or just read the million other threads, but I am simply just talking numbers, in the name of research.. of course.

my 2 cents....

the $84 ticket price is for all seats where ever they are. in san francisco for the springsteen show, all seats, no matter how far from the stage were $75.
the day of the show, people with extras were looking for under face value.

"listen to the stories i could tell"

member of the parrothead nation

sirgumby77 · Post by **sirgumby77** » May 2, 2004 9:13 pm

bumper wrote:paid more then 80.00 for Vegas..no complaints. In fact, add up the hotel stay, the booze and food it comes out just a tad higher. Fenway is a steal

Yea but one thing though is..... Boston isn't Las Vegas, where you can drink 24/7, and bet against the Yankees.

tellyRN · Post by **tellyRN** » May 2, 2004 9:20 pm

I agree with you Bumper, I think it has much to do with the venue... which is why, for myself, I am all too happy to pay what my budget will allow me to see Buffett play Fenway. I appreciate the difference between fenway and GW and understand the historical signifigance of the show at Fenway and can not wait to be a part of it, even if you take out the tailgating and the gathering of friends that I am used to at GW. But is it more money than I am used to spending??... heck ya it is.
Disclaimer: I am stating this based on the news that I heard that tickets start at $84, I understand that this info could be wrong since they have not actually gone on sale yet and there are opposing news reports out there. If they are all $84, then I stand corrected and would retract thought #2

Personally, I would be psyched if they are all $84!! I am also, for the sake of comparing numbers, only talking about tickets through ticketmaster not secondhand dealers/scalpers or any other means where the numbers are unpredictable.

Gypsy In The Palace · Post by **Gypsy In The Palace** » May 2, 2004 11:39 pm

mason wrote: my 2 cents....

I am glad you've got two cents to spare. I thought everyone was having to save every penny they had to pay for Fenway tickets!

Oh, I know that was really bad; I heard everybody groan at once!

Tiki Bar · Post by **Tiki Bar** » May 2, 2004 11:58 pm

tellyRN wrote:$26 + fees for lawn

Holy Cow!!!!! No wonder it was so popular!

Que sera, sera
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see
Que sera, sera
What will be, will be.

Wino you know · Post by **Wino you know** » May 3, 2004 1:53 am

I'd pay $80.00 in a heartbeat to see Jimmy AT GREAT WOODS.
For Fenway, I'd go as high as $60.00-$65.00, scalpers and ticketbastard "convenience" charges be damned.

photogal · Post by **photogal** » May 3, 2004 7:01 am

with fees it'll be 92.00 or better. Are all seats 84.00? I'm waiting to see. I'm starting to get used to paying more and more to see the people I want to. Jimmy at greatwoods was always reasonable. Thats why people in this area are miffed a little.

RAGTOP · Post by **RAGTOP** » May 3, 2004 7:52 am

I think the ticket price is fair... I wouldn't say it's a bargain though

I actually thought they were going to be more expensive.

kitty · Post by **kitty** » May 3, 2004 7:55 am

everything is more expensive these days...price doesn't really matter much to me...if I want to do something bad enough...I do it...no bitching about how much it costs. I spend $80.00 buying $12 drinks in a bar for one night...a 3 hours Buffett is worth that!

icarus · Post by **icarus** » May 3, 2004 9:23 am

I would say fair, if that was THE PRICE. Since it will really be about $95.00, no that's not fair. Of course this is a whole other issue that every one's dicussed before.

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Is $80 a ticket too much in Boston?

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Is $80 a ticket too much in Boston?