Ticket prices

I knew it wasn't a mistake. I'm still offended by the increase in price over last year when the pass itself was only $89.

Lockn's fees are nothing by comparison to Peach.  I paid $72 in fees on two $135 GA early bird tickets and two $35 camping passes (which for some weird reason they charge per person and not per camp site).  Truly offensive.  What appeared to be an inexpensive fest added up quickly.  Plus two car parking passes at $50 each plus fees (since I have to go a day later than Worf).  I'm really starting to think small fests might be where it's at for me.

OUCH.

Tickets Today (who does Lockn' tickets) is actually one of the more reasonable ticket vendors on service charges in the grand scheme of things. Wanna see high fees, Ticketmaster is the king on that - although Front Gate is getting up there too.

I wholeheartedly agree that the smaller fests are where it's at. I plan to do SCI's Hulaween fest at Suwannee in Florida in October - last year tix started at around $200 for the four days, $399 for VIP, and $499 VIP with six catered meals.

The bigger fests are usually something I avoid these days, because to get any viewing beyond far back GA, and having physical issues that require absolute performance on ADA issues, I just can't take the chance on things failing. VIP at these large fests are priced out of my league now.....to think of what I got out of VIP at Rothbury for $550 vs. what it costs to do big fests like Bonnaroo now, I can't justify the VIP rates, and can't trust that the GA ADA will be reliable.

I view this fest as a potential anomaly - the reserved ADA camp spaces are a HUGE reason I am taking a chance on this, along with the lineup which has the potential to become a Super Bowl of jam music. Add Dead projects plus SCI plus some good cross pollination it really has "don't miss" potential.

The prices don't outrage me the same way TicketBastard fees do. I hate those fuckers.

I'm not at all outraged by the ticketing fees for Lockn. I absolutely am outraged by the ticketing fees for Peach. And I'm bordering on outraged by the jacked up camping prices for Lockn' this year. Did they bump up the cost of RV camping too? Tent only went up by 29% over last year. Car camping went up by 45%. I'm not sure how much forest and RV got bumped up. I'm just ticked off that car camping got jacked by so much a higher percentage than anything else.

VIP Alumni tickets increased from $699 to $799, 14% increase. I don't know how much the Tier 1 VIP prices increased. The VIP RV passed increased from $600 (IIRC) to $649, 8% increase. I actually expected both of these to increase more and found the prices quite reasonable all things considered.

I'm pretty sure if you're on the email list, they send you a link for lumni.

I think GA RV went from 250 to 300. That would be a 20% increase.

could be that they priced tickets low the past three years to build the fest, and now they are bringing it up to market price for what is offered and what the cost/risk is.

It also allows more margin for error if the fest doesn't sell optimally. As long as this doesn't become a loser on the balance sheet year over year, it can stay alive for future years. At some point the gig has to turn a profit, or it won't stay viable.

Another point to consider, using a fest like Bonnaroo as an example, is that Bonnaroo draws 80,000 people. If this fest draws 35-40K, the ticket price has to be sufficient to pay all expenses with less people buying in. Signing big name talent isn't cheap. I guess the question is - would we rather have this fest set up for 60-80K and pay less money, or would we rather pay a percentage more and have the fest be a little more accessible?

....and if we want to see the best, most talent rich lineups, we're going to have to expect to pay for that. In this case, we can only judge whether or not it's worth it when the full lineup is known.

It is almost always assumed that a new fest will take a few years to be profitable, and then once "on the map" the fest gets name recognition and hopefully becomes successful. As it becomes successful, the prices are increased in order to turn a profit, but hopefully along with that comes bands worth the ticket price.

Maybe it's just the bad day I'm having. Maybe it's the grey sky outside. Maybe it's PTSD from Lockn' sticker price shock. But if these prices are the new normal, I'm not sure we'll be able to afford this one going forward.

Sigh....time to go listen to some banjo music. That always perks me up a bit.

I like the way you look at the whole cost v. doing some other form of recreation; I do the same. It's not the same thought process as "should I spend $250 for two tickets to this one show in my town?" My sisters' whole family goes; they pay for the college-aged children, and say, "this is our beach house."

However, I am comfortable with my information about lack of profitability so far, but will not go into it. But one aspect is that those in the business usually have many ventures. For example, a guy might manage a band that appears, and invest in the fest, and not make any money on the fest invest, but make money on the management side. An investor might also own some or all of the ticket company, CID, the band buses, and concessions in addition to fan-based merch.
but I don't see how any of that matters, being a capitalist and all.