Wicked price changes- Page 2

Posted: 4/12/07 at 7:07pm

Winston who told you that ridiculous story that the venue takes half? Rock bands are booked in at various rates and percentages but "Half" isn't even close.

And ticketmaster is a company that sells tickets-- no tax involved. They sell you the convenience of being able to go online or pick up the phone and buy your tickets without going to the venue. Yes, they charge an exhorbitant fee for it.

[SweeneyPhanatic]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 7:34pm

...I paid $62 to sit in the 4th row when the touring production came to Atlanta.

I LOVE the touring prices!!

[morosco]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 8:04pm

"...And ticketmaster is a company that sells tickets-- no tax involved. They sell you the convenience of being able to go online or pick up the phone and buy your tickets without going to the venue. Yes, they charge an exhorbitant fee for it."

Ticketmaster's exhorbitant fee is partly dictated by the show. Hidden within the convenience charge there is usually a kick-back to the promoter of at least $1 per ticket. This is known as a promoter "rebate". Also hidden in the convenience fee are the fees that the credit card company charges for processing the purchase (4% to 6% of the purchase price I think). The promoter typically has Ticketmaster pass these fees directly to the consumer. How they can get away with lumping a rebate and credit card fees into a category called "convenience fee" is beyond me. I'm surprised it hasn't been challenged.

[morosco]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 8:14pm

"When a rock band plays Madison Square Garden and they sell out here is how they get thier money. the money per seat is divided half goes to the venue the other half goes to the band. They do this for every indvidual seat in the venue."

Venues could only WISH they got half the money per seat.

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 8:57pm

Out of all show to raise prices it has to be Wicked. The shows already fills to 100% capacity every week, why feel the need to raise prices more?

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 9:29pm

I paid:

75.00 for rear mezz the first time when Idina was there.

55.00 for orchestra: partial view when I saw Shoshana.

75.00 again with school [but that was bus trip which came with dinner and such, so not bad.]

[C is for Company]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 9:34pm

The first time I paid $40 dollars for the rear mezz! Now that sounds like a distant reality. A little over a year ago, my friend tried to get the same seat and it was bumped up to $50.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 9:57pm

"Out of all show to raise prices it has to be Wicked. The shows already fills to 100% capacity every week, why feel the need to raise prices more?"

Actually, that's exactly why they charge more. Because they can and the producers are greedy and it's ok, because they are biz people and they want to make the most money out of it. And also they abuse the people that are willing to pay that. Which is ok. Nobody forces anyone to see Wicked. I choose to see other better and newer shows if you ask me.

[winston89]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 9:58pm

This is what I meant. Say for example phish was playing the garden and there is a whole section lets say that goes for 100 a seat. what I meant was that the common thing would be for that one seat the garden would take 50 and 50 goes to the band. The same goes for the entier venue. Keep in mind that even though a big name band is playing at a popular venue they still are renting out the space which is why like i said if it is a 100 dollar seat the band takes 50 and the venue gets 50.

I am a HUGE deadhead I know as much about rock and roll as I do bout broadway. This is the common way the band makes money by doing shows.

[BroadwaySinger2]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 10:08pm

I certainly do not believe that neither Jersey Boys, Mary Poppins, or Wicked should be charging that much, but the truth is - they can still sell out, so why not? It's the tough facts of life. But everyone wants to see Mary Poppins "fly" and Bert dance on the ceiling. They want to hear "Big Girls Don't Cry" jukebox style, and want to see a screaming witch on a cherry picker.


I wouldn't be surprised if by 2010 prices for the new flashy shows are at $80-$160.

[Elphie4ever]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 11:10pm

WHAT!!! i just went last week and the price was a $110 at the cancelation line
WAIT IN THE GERSWHIN ITS $120..
ewww i am going to watch this saturday and i have exactly 110 and i have horrible luck with lottery lost 3 times

so does anyone know any discount codes for wicked? Updated On: 4/12/07 at 11:10 PM

[actor]

Posted: 4/12/07 at 11:48pm

Haha like there are discount codes...

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 4/13/07 at 12:04am

This is how old I am:

I remember when ticket prices (for front center orchestra) during the week were TEN DOLLARS.

On Friday and Saturday nights, the ticket prices jumped to FIFTEEN DOLLARS! (Actually, when you think about it, that was a 50% increase, which was a lot, but it didn't seem so bad.)

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 4/13/07 at 12:10am

I found an inflation calculator online, and found that $2, which was an outrageous price to see a show in 1913, is worth $40.30 in 2006.

Updated On: 4/13/07 at 12:10 AM

[Elphie4ever]

Posted: 4/13/07 at 12:15am

i don't get it though..
wicked has been virtually sold out since openning night. why do they want to jack up the price this high..?

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 4/13/07 at 12:18am

Why do they want to jack up the price this high?

Because they're WICKED! What else???

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 4/13/07 at 12:22am

muscle, are you really one to lecture others about seeing a show multiple times? How much money have you spent on tickets for and traveling to see Bombay Dreams?

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 4/13/07 at 8:52am

Ha! The tix for Bombay Dreams were a lot cheaper, and it was a show that was a flop and really needed some kind of support from its fans, plus it was closing, so I saw it more times than I should have, because I knew I wouldn't see it again. Wicked, Jersey Boys, etc. are shows that will be around for years, or maybe decades.
Anyways, get over it, that was years ago. I also saw Rent/Aida/Sweet Charity/Wonderful Town/Kiss of the Spider Woman/Dracula, a bunch of times and I kinda regret it, I prefer seeing shows I haven't seen now.
Yet, I regret seeing Rent several times, a show that I will see either on Broadway or on tour for years and years to come, less successful high-budget shows like Bombay Dreams that have limited runs, are worth seeing multiple times, in my book, because you know you won't see them many more times.

Updated On: 4/13/07 at 08:52 AM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 4/13/07 at 9:06am

"And you are upset that a fully staged Broadway show with great sightlines and sound ..."

Well... define "great."

[D2]

Posted: 4/13/07 at 9:08am

Miss P, I'm with you on remembering the "old" prices. For my first Broadway show, my mother "splurged" and bought $9 Front Mezzanine seats for a Saturday matinee of IRENE.

Posted: 4/13/07 at 10:19am

Better than sitting in the rafters of a basketball arena at least Namo!

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 4/13/07 at 3:12pm

Well muscle23ftl, when you're acting holier than thou about preferring to see "better" and "newer" shows than Wicked, you should have the reputation (yes, years in the making) for backing up "better" than Bombay Dreams, regardless of ticket prices.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/13/07 at 3:30pm

I agree that it's getting obscene (not just WICKED, but others as well), but then don't pay it. There are SO many other options (and lower pricing for different seats) that if you want to see a show, 9 times out of 10, it's do-able and affordable.

I saw WICKED once in previews. I paid $95 for a center orchestra seat. The show was enjoyable for what it was, but I won't be shelling out anythign else to see it. I have no desire to see that show ever again.

I did pay $111.25 to see JERSEY BOYS from an obstructed view seat in the orchestra - it was horrible- but the show was fantastic. Even if it were possible to buy tickets, I really have no inclination to see that show again either.

[mejusthavingfun]

Posted: 4/13/07 at 3:33pm

Well Tarzan had crazy $200 ticket prices to start. These prices need to stop.

[Dirty Rotten Scoundrel]

Posted: 4/15/07 at 12:01pm

I saw the OBC on a field trip. We paid $100 for coach bus fair, lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe, and ticket. Glad I saw it then (and for a reasonable price).

*hugs TDF and student rush* I will be a student forever.