Bruce Springsteen’s manager, Jon Landau, is defending record-high ticket prices for the rocker’s 2023 tour, despite a furious backlash from fans.
As Slay News has previously reported, tickets for the shows are being sold for thousands of dollars apiece after they went on sale last month.
When Springsteen’s loyal fan base tried to purchase tickets for the opening seven dates of his 2023 U.S. arena tour, prices soared to a dizzying $4,000 to $5,000 each.
The sky-high prices are being blamed on Ticketmaster’s “dynamic pricing” program, which sent the face value for some floor seats into the thousands of dollars.
In an attempt to cut off the multibillion-dollar resale business, ticket prices jumped to a “fair value” based on demand to approximate the secondary market.
Rather than scalpers, the money would instead go to the artist and promoter, even if it means pricing fans out of the events.
“In pricing tickets for this tour, we looked carefully at what our peers have been doing,” Springsteen’s manager Landau said as he defended the prices.
“We chose prices that are lower than some and on par with others.
“Regardless of the commentary about a modest number of tickets costing $1,000 or more, our true average ticket price has been in the mid-$200 range.
“I believe that in today’s environment, that is a fair price to see someone universally regarded as among the very greatest artists of his generation.”
Steven Van Zandt, Springsteen’s E Street Band guitarist, said:
“I have nothing whatsoever to do with the price of tickets.
“Nothing. Nada. Niente. Bubkis,” the former Sopranos star added.
I have nothing whatsoever to do with the price of tickets. Nothing. Nada. Niente. Bubkis. Dick. https://t.co/NsDJvoLMWu
— 🕉🇺🇦🟦Stevie Van Zandt☮️💙 (@StevieVanZandt) July 20, 2022
Ticketmaster issued a statement in response to the backlash that said:
“Promoters and artist representatives set pricing strategy and price range parameters on all tickets, including dynamic and fixed price points.
“Ticketmaster has created analytical tools that use historical and real-time data to help quantify supply and demand to determine prices.
“While people may have had a very different impression, overall 18% of Springsteen’s U.S. tour tickets sold for under $99, and only 1% of tickets sold for more than $1,000.”
But fans are furious with Ticketmaster and Springsteen over the prices and took to social media to voice their outrage..
“Gotta get a 2nd mortgage to get a ticket,” one said.
Another said: “Waiting for the quote on selling my kidney to get nosebleed seats.”
“Many of these tickets are being priced on the primary market the same way scalpers price it on the secondary market, based on supply and demand,” said John Breyault of the Public Policy, Telecommunications, and Fraud for the National Consumers League.
“That means prices can change from minute to minute.”
“Ticket broker Kayla Ramsey with Midtown Premium Tickets said primary sellers like Ticketmaster and AXS are now doing exactly what ticket brokers do,” KHOU reported.
“Shoppers reported selecting $250 tickets only to see them climb to $700 by the time they checked out.
“Some tickets got up to $4,000 to $5,000.”
When @CrowdedHouseHQ learned about “in-demand” and “premium” tickets being sold for their recent tour, they acted. Over to you, @springsteen! 🎟 https://t.co/N0u06xEJo5
— eden (@WORLDL1NG) July 21, 2022
Ticketmaster has been ripping off concert fans forever. Now they’re soaking Bruce fans. It’s time the Live Nation-Ticketmaster octopus is broken up.https://t.co/TKn0yUvPti
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@BillPascrell) July 23, 2022
