The Shocking Truth Behind the High Cost of Concert Tickets Revealed!
Are tickets for Taylor Swift’s Australian shows a fair price or a shameless money grab? Would you pay $1,000 to see Taylor Swift? If the answer is an emphatic, screaming “YES!” you’re not alone. The Taylor Swift tour is a big deal. Big.
When she comes to Australia in early 2024, the American singer-songwriter-superstar will be the first woman to headline the MCG since Madonna. Swift will sell more tickets than any woman who came before, and at far, far higher prices.
Basic tickets to see Taylor Swift cost between $80 and $380. She also offers “VIP packages” costing $350 to $1,249. These packages include posters, trinkets and a tote bag – in addition to a ticket. It is unclear whether more tickets will be sold or more VIP packages.
Last time Swift toured – 2018 – her pricing topped out at $820. The top of the pricing range has risen by more than 50 per cent. That’s quite some inflation. Seeing her costs more than ever, and also quite a lot more than her rival at the top of pop, Ed Sheeran.
In America, Ticketmaster crashed when her tour went on sale, and a senate judiciary inquiry looked into what happened. I mention this to emphasize just how popular this tour really is because you’re about to hear some big numbers.
In the US, the secondary ticket market – scalping – is legal, largely operating through a website called Stubhub. But for Swift, Stubhub is offering seats at terrifying prices.
Taylor Swift initially intended to tour Australia back in 2020, but a global pandemic got in the way. So, there’s a lot of pent-up demand for tickets. That’s the single-biggest reason her tour costs so much.
The Swift concert lasts for 3.5 hours, and she goes through 44 songs, apparently. There are 10 costume changes. So, she’s not trying to rip anyone off – you really get something for your money. But she does expect to pocket US$10 million a night, at least, and industry chat is that her tour – 60 nights in the US and 52 more internationally – will break the $1 billion barrier.
Her five shows in Australia – two in Melbourne, three in Sydney – will add significantly to her bank account despite the weakness of the Australian dollar. This is another reason live music prices are so high for overseas acts.
The price of freight to get your stage and screens from place to place is a lot higher now than it was back in 2019. The cost of flights and hotels for musicians and crew is higher too, not to mention venue hire.
The music business publication Pollstar tracks ticket prices for concerts and it says stadium tour prices are up 22 per cent since 2019, while more humble theatre shows are up 7 per cent since 2019.
Even a local band costs $30 these days. While you could see a dozen local gigs for the price of a Taylor Swift ticket, fans are voting with their feet. The opportunity to be part of a massive global pop phenomenon is what’s on sale, and the high price seems to only underline just how valuable that is to fans.
The Australian dollar is weak but less weak against the pound, which could be why Ed Sheeran was able to price his tour a little lower than Ms Swift. Another reason is he sets up differently. Sheeran plays “in the round”, meaning he can sell tickets in every section of the MCG. Swift, however, has to have a backstage for all those costume changes. She also provides a massive screen – to help people who paid a week’s wages for a nosebleed ticket see what’s going on.
Sheeran packed 109,000 people into the MCG. Swift will do more like 75,000. Like any business, the two pop stars face a trade-off between price and volume.
Inflation is everywhere, even for Swifties. The world of concerts has changed dramatically, and as prices continue to rise, the value of seeing your favorite artist live becomes even more precious. Fans are willing to pay top dollar to be a part of these unforgettable experiences.
