U2's INSANE Ticket Prices- Have You Seen Them????

[Musicman408]

Don't know how many U2 fans we have here, but I just wanted to see what you all had to say about them charging their top price for general admission lawn seats. We thought $150 for top FM seats was a lot- U2 is charging $250 a ticket!!!!! How crazy is that????? Why oh why has the concert industry gotten this way. I'm wondering how the potential merger between TM and LiveNation will change things, whether they get better or worse- but it really does worry me.......

[Enchanted_Stevi]

I'm going to a U2 show in September...I bought the cheap seats...which were like $40 or something..Not bad
But I do agree that $250 is a LOOOOT

But also Michael Jackson's 30th anniversary show the 2 day concert thing. Sept. 7 & 10, 2001. I read the the cheapest seats were $1500 and the most expensive ones were like $5000. Also, certain people who got certain seats got to have dinner with him..lol..Oh and he mad $7.4 million in those two nights. So U2 isnt the only excessivly priced band...lol

[HejiraNYC]

Well, who would you rather make money? U2 or ticket scalpers? At least with the money going to U2, at least there is a chance that some of it will end up going to some worthy causes. Ultimately this is a high stakes gamble, and if the fans balk and refuse to buy these tickets, then they will have to adjust the prices accordingly. Personally I think U2's fans will pay up.

[jenniferuk]

Prices are certainly out of control, but I think there are always people who will pay this price for certain bands. It's hard for me to justify--I might pay that much for FM or Macca (never seen him live) but not for anyone else (at least no one comes to mind right now).

I think that we paid $250 to see The Police...it seemed worth it when we booked the tix as I got excited about their tour. However, for me the show itself was not a $250 experience (major let down, but seeing Elvis Costello eased the pain a bit).

(As a side note, we saw Billy Joel and Elton John show last night: BJ teased people about the price they paid for the crappy seats, but he made it a point to sincerely thank everyone for spending the $$ to see them. It was a nice touch)

[MacMan]

Clearly people don't care what they pay as long as they go... They have a huge fan base like everywhere! Check out these numbers. Massive shows, huge gross per city, but the average works out to roughly $100 a ticket. Roughly 55 million... It took Fleetwood Mac 55 shows to do that this year.

It's interesting that these bands can sell out these massive stadiums overseas and don't do all that many stadium shows here in North America... I wonder what the mentality difference is when it comes to seeing stadium shows versus arena shows for fans... Or is it a question of what promoters have their hands on in terms of venues over here.

1 U2, Kaiser Chiefs Stade De France
Paris, France
July 11-12, 2009
$20,902,760
186,544 /
186,544
2 /
2
$347.91, $41.75
Live Nation Global Touring/Gerard Drouot Productions/Live Nation France

2 U2, Snow Patrol Camp Nou
Barcelona, Spain
June 30, July 2, 2009
$19,825,497
182,055 /
182,055
2 /
2
$210.33, $77.12
Live Nation Global Touring/Doctor Music/Live Nation Spain

3 U2, Snow Patrol Stadio San Siro
Milan, Italy
July 7-8, 2009
$15,168,799
153,806 /
153,806
2 /
2
$347.32, $41.68
Live Nation Global Touring/Live Nation Italy

[Musicman408]

Clearly people don't care what they pay as long as they go... They have a huge fan base like everywhere! Check out these numbers. Massive shows, huge gross per city, but the average works out to roughly $100 a ticket. Roughly 55 million... It took Fleetwood Mac 55 shows to do that this year.

It's interesting that these bands can sell out these massive stadiums overseas and don't do all that many stadium shows here in North America... I wonder what the mentality difference is when it comes to seeing stadium shows versus arena shows for fans... Or is it a question of what promoters have their hands on in terms of venues over here.

1 U2, Kaiser Chiefs Stade De France
Paris, France
July 11-12, 2009
$20,902,760
186,544 /
186,544
2 /
2
$347.91, $41.75
Live Nation Global Touring/Gerard Drouot Productions/Live Nation France

2 U2, Snow Patrol Camp Nou
Barcelona, Spain
June 30, July 2, 2009
$19,825,497
182,055 /
182,055
2 /
2
$210.33, $77.12
Live Nation Global Touring/Doctor Music/Live Nation Spain

3 U2, Snow Patrol Stadio San Siro
Milan, Italy
July 7-8, 2009
$15,168,799
153,806 /
153,806
2 /
2
$347.32, $41.68
Live Nation Global Touring/Live Nation Italy

That kind of money- that's just ridiculous!!!! It's actually kind of sickening when you really think about it.

[LukeA]

That kind of money- that's just ridiculous!!!! It's actually kind of sickening when you really think about it.

Why? The average ticket price is $100-$110- not $250, or whatever the top ticket is in most markets. A lot of people obviously want to see U2.

I think its pretty awesome that U2 can gross ~$56M on only six shows.

[Stew_Matthews]

That kind of money- that's just ridiculous!!!! It's actually kind of sickening when you really think about it.

Getting real for a moment - what do you expect?

Most people are downloading music now and bands are going to increasingly see live shows as the way to make their cash. In the U2 example, I read that 1.8m people downloaded their album after it was leaked in Australia. If they can't make income from cds, it will be made from tours.

I think prices will climb a lot higher than they currently are.

Prices are more 'sickening' elsewhere in the world.

[sarahw]

I got tickets for $30. Upper level, front row.

[strandinthewind]

Well, who would you rather make money? U2 or ticket scalpers? At least with the money going to U2, at least there is a chance that some of it will end up going to some worthy causes. Ultimately this is a high stakes gamble, and if the fans balk and refuse to buy these tickets, then they will have to adjust the prices accordingly. Personally I think U2's fans will pay up.

Just as the FM fans did for the most part, though some markets sold poorly. Again, they have all these marketing people who test market these prices, etc. They do not pull them out of thin air :shrug:

[JWS]

Here is a bargain. Bella Donna tickets for Sunday's show at the Burbank Starlight Bowl just $12.

[Ghost_Tracker]

Why oh why has the concert industry gotten this way. ......


http://www.hmns.org/images/The-One-Ring2.jpg

[RoseGarden]

I guess this is all about fan loyalty (yeah---I think the price is outrageous!). However, when some asked me how much a Mac tix went for they thought the price was laughable. In my mind , it was a bit high but I was thrilled to see them!

U2 must have a huge following:shrug: I only bought 1 cd of theirs.

Take a look at what Sting is making this summer.

somebody mentioned about tours are the only thing that can make money now a days. I am really thinking about that statement. It really seems true. dunno

[snicksfan85]

It takes 120 semis to carry around just the stage. That's why tickets are 250 bucks....

[LukeA]

It takes 120 semis to carry around just the stage. That's why tickets are 250 bucks....

I have heard that the cost for the tour's daily operation (whether there is a show or not) is about $2.5M. Again, that's per day. That's not even including the rumored $8M (largely financed by Blackberry) start-up cost to construct the three identical stages that they are currently lugging around Europe.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3620/3682732788_4ea5b29b7f_o.jpg

Its a spectacular production... but aside from the overhead, they are really raking it in. They left a LOT of money on the table by only touring arenas in North America in '05. Good for them.

[Black_Moon]

What I find insane is that anyone would want to see U2 live. ;)

[vivfox]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3620/3682732788_4ea5b29b7f_o.jpg


Wouldn't it be really cool if FM could still draw a crowd this big and have a stage like this? Maybe then Stevie could wear a headset and walk around this circle or run around this circle with her flowing capes. That would make some damn good live video. Or Lindsey spasticly running around in circles while the crowd does the wave to keep up with him.

[nailatixela]

Why in the world would they carry that ugly thing around show to show?? I see all the speakers are on it but other than that it looks like it just gets in the way of somebodys view. (not like they have much of a view way up there is those "cheap seats.")

[LukeA]

Why in the world would they carry that ugly thing around show to show?? I see all the speakers are on it but other than that it looks like it just gets in the way of somebodys view. (not like they have much of a view way up there is those "cheap seats.")

Quite the contrary. It allows them to tour stadiums and be able to sell every single seat, since there are no obstructions. Many acts tour arenas "in the round", but this is the first time an act has toured stadiums in a 360 degree stage setup

[BombaySapphire3]

U2 has to charge insanely high ticket prices ..Their last album which Bono claimed as their best has more or less tanked.

[Musicman408]

Wouldn't it be really cool if FM could still draw a crowd this big and have a stage like this? Maybe then Stevie could wear a headset and walk around this circle or run around this circle with her flowing capes. That would make some damn good live video. Or Lindsey spasticly running around in circles while the crowd does the wave to keep up with him.

I'm with you- I would love to see the Mac mix it up and walk around the floor- down the aisles or SOMETHING!!!!:nod:

[snicksfan85]

Quite the contrary. It allows them to tour stadiums and be able to sell every single seat, since there are no obstructions. Many acts tour arenas "in the round", but this is the first time an act has toured stadiums in a 360 degree stage setup

There's much better and economical ways to tour with a 360 stage. (And might I add more attractive stage set-up.)

It's just absolutely ridiculous that, in a time when people should be helping out their fans by cutting costs to lower ticket prices, they would do something like that. I was really put off by the Mac charging as much as they did but I did go see them but there would have been no way in hell I would have seen them if they were charging 250 bucks, not even by purchasing a cheap seat. If I was a U2 fan, I'd be pissed.

[LukeA]

There's much better and economical ways to tour with a 360 stage. (And might I add more attractive stage set-up.)

How else would you be able to mount the speakers and video screens required in order to provide an adequate stadium concert experience for every ticketholder? I'm all ears.

There's no question that for 95% of stadium concert attendees, its a subpar experience compared to any seat at an arena show. As a fan, I'm not thrilled with the fact that they're touring stadiums, but I understand why they are. U2 fans have been spoiled the last decade; they are clearly a stadium act (based on interest and demand), so it was only a matter of time before they returned to playing those kinds of venues.

It's just absolutely ridiculous that, in a time when people should be helping out their fans by cutting costs to lower ticket prices, they would do something like that. I was really put off by the Mac charging as much as they did but I did go see them but there would have been no way in hell I would have seen them if they were charging 250 bucks, not even by purchasing a cheap seat. If I was a U2 fan, I'd be pissed.

The difference being, of course, that Fleetwood Mac has no business having a $250 ticket- while U2 does. Their top ticket in '05 was ~$160- a veritable steal. Not to mention the fact that the tickets that get you closest to the band- the GA floor- was $50. Same this time around too. If you want to sit in reserved seats next to the stage, they are $250. When's the last time you were able to get anywhere near front row at a Fleetwood Mac concert for $50?

[Musicman408]

How else would you be able to mount the speakers and video screens required in order to provide an adequate stadium concert experience for every ticketholder? I'm all ears.

There's no question that for 95% of stadium concert attendees, its a subpar experience compared to any seat at an arena show. As a fan, I'm not thrilled with the fact that they're touring stadiums, but I understand why they are. U2 fans have been spoiled the last decade; they are clearly a stadium act (based on interest and demand), so it was only a matter of time before they returned to playing those kinds of venues.



The difference being, of course, that Fleetwood Mac has no business having a $250 ticket- while U2 does. Their top ticket in '05 was ~$160- a veritable steal. Not to mention the fact that the tickets that get you closest to the band- the GA floor- was $50. Same this time around too. If you want to sit in reserved seats next to the stage, they are $250. When's the last time you were able to get anywhere near front row at a Fleetwood Mac concert for $50?

I'm thinking GA floor seats are $250 according to TM! Could be wrong though

[LukeA]

I'm thinking GA floor seats are $250 according to TM! Could be wrong though

There are some field reserved seats- "hot seats"- that are sold at a premium. The general admission tickets have the best view, and they are $50-$55.