Is Gaga really in charge of ticket prices?

[Ziggy 12,000]

Look I’ll say this: both Taylor and Beyonce had pre-resale tickets that were cheaper. They did. I was in or knew people in both sales.
 

It may not be all Gaga but these prices are genuinely crazy and I can’t imagine a world where she is needing to charge more than either of them. I do think some of this comes down to her choosing arenas as I imagine booking them for longer stays costs more than 1-2 days at a stadium (but I could be totally wrong)

Edited September 13 by Ziggy

[elijahfan 26,484]

3 hours ago, lastpopicon said:

I do think she has the ability to have cheaper ticket prices, but that will probably would be at expense of the show itself, a lesser production, with less dancers, less staff, less locations, less spectacle and not a truly worldwide tour backed by Interscope in all fronts.

International artists perfectly manage to conduct their shows in Europe without dynamic pricing 

This method is a scam, plain and simple. I do wonder in whose pockets this money actually goes.

[RAMROD 110,113]

2 hours ago, darkgaga said:

Also at least in Europe dynamic pricing is off. 

 

13 minutes ago, elijahfan said:

International artists perfectly manage to conduct their shows in Europe without dynamic pricing 

 

That is most likely something to do with EU consumer protection law than any other reasons. TM won't want to get sued for this unfair business practice over there

Edited September 13 by RAMROD

[50 Ft Queenie 458]

She does yes and shes a very smart business lady. Is it fair? No. People change and gaga has. She could what other artists have done re pricing. Its heartbreaking but its reality of her brand now . Get some popcorn grab a friend and watch online 

[monstertoronto 10,383]

The actual answer is no, she is not in charge of ticket prices. She is the creative force and the director and the performer of these shows. But she’s not the the producer. The producer/promoter is the party who actually pays for the tour/production The label also generally has some kind of role/investment. The producers who finance the tour are the ones who get to decide the business points to cover their costs and make a profit. Let me make a comparison to the tv/film industry. It’s like a movie or tv show that might be star driven. The stars are the face of the movie, they may even have creative input, but they have nothing to do with the business side. Even a writer or a director on a film, they will write a script or pitch and idea with the scenes they want, and control the creative, but it’s ultimately up to the producer to decide if they can afford to actually make it. The producer will tell them to cut a scene if it’s too expensive. The producer is finding the money to pay for it so gets to make the financial decision. And the party who is investing financially in paying for the production is the one who gets to make the financial decisions to maximize their chances of recouping their costs and seeing a profit. The creative artists have nothing to do with that. 

So Gaga (probably with involvement with the label) pitches a concept for the tour and the set design and the acts/costumes, etc, and the producers decide what they will agree to pay for. This tour she clearly had a bigger budget so it’s clear they believed in her vision. But the producer/promoter who paid for this vision also gets to call the shots about what to charge for tickets etc to ensure they get their money back. Gaga is paid upfront and then gets a cut of the revenue, but she doesn’t pay for this tour. She. Is the talent. So she is not the one making the business decisions. The producers who have invested the money and who have risked this money until it’s recouped, they are the ones who decide ticket prices. Gaga is paid regardless of how the tour does. The producers need to make sure they make their money back. 
 

Edited September 13 by monstertoronto

[Guillaume Hamon 6,537]

4 hours ago, Future Lovers said:

Could the prices lower and dynamic pricing be turned off if she says so? Yes.

Thank you... That's what makes the prices go crazy high and some stans are delulu acting like she had no choice with an expensive staging etc.

Plenty of stars, bigger or smaller than Gaga, refused dynamic pricing for productions cheaper or more expensive than the Mayhem ball.

[Sarah H 3,742]

It's very disappointing that she allows dynamic pricing. The ticket prices are disgusting. 

Things have certainly changed since her earlier days of touring. 

[nATAH 50,433]

whilst ticketmaster says the artist has the final say, is it the actual artist themself saying yes/no or do they mean the artist as a team, brand and label?

for all we know, it could be interscope saying yes on behalf of lady gaga and she simply doesn't care that much to argue... pop star rules

[Defmix100 6,419]

7 hours ago, G U C C I said:

I’m not blaming anyone for the prices given the quality of the show and amount of people on stage and off involved, but I am disappointed that the prices mean I can’t afford to go. The non floor mid level deck tickets I tried to get two days in a row now are $600/each before fees. 

The thing is one seat can cost 600 and the seat directly next to it can cost 400 so regardless of how good the show is, it isn't fair pricing when it's all over the place. I was able to get a floor ticket which was cheaper than a bleachers ticket, but I ended up selling both when I got a seat at the back for 5 times cheaper (but seats near me were over double)

[Monstermilo 4,741]

i think ariana proved that artists have the choice of atleast turning off dynamic pricing.

dynamic pricing creates a bidding war instantly once tickets go on sale. 

a lot of arianas presale and even some of the general sale tickets were purchased at normal price. of course scalpers have also purchased tickets and have marked up those tickets.... 

i think ultimately ppl in our govt are going to have to step in and enact legislation that prevents ppl from buying tickets and then re-selling them for 4 times what they paid........

gaga using dynamic pricing is really disappointing and if gaga had done stadiums there wouldve also been more inventory 

Edited September 13 by Monstermilo

[Auralegends 6,796]

I read Ariana decided to not use dynamic pricing, so I'm not sure to which extend the artist has a saying in this.

 

Luckily here in Belgium, we only have a few "platinum tickets" that use dynamic pricing, all the others are fixed

[Bronco 12,294]

There's plenty of smaller scale acts (in terms of label expectations for profits etc in the current day) who have blocked dynamic pricing.

So it would be very bizarre if Gaga didn't have input or the ability to make a change.

The Cure weren't consulted about it on a prior tour. The day tickets went on sale with it switched on and they found out, they forced the promoter to refund all the sold tickets and cancel the sale and then relaunch the tour without dynamic pricing. 

After the backlash to the UK tour, Oasis have blocked dynamic pricing for their north american shows.

Iron Maiden refuse to use dynamic pricing.

Bruce Springsteen used to famously instruct his tour promoters to charge less than the industry average (until his most recent tour).

Pale Waves capped prices at £30. 

Sam Fender blocked dynamic pricing.

If Gaga wanted to, she could.

[hpmcmill 2,011]

With all this said, it’s an expensive show with a huge team that’s probably well paid and so she probably cares more about that - the quality of the show fit to her vision - for those that do get to attend, than ticket accessibility concerns for those that can’t attend. She wants the huge stage, the lighting, all the amazing dancers and musicians, the everything. She wants to be the best and in my opinion, is the best. 

If I’d have to guess, she’ll probably film this with some Netflix deal or something and that may be how she morally accepts how outrageous some of these ticket prices can be/dynamic pricing if she’s aware of it in that detail. Or if no concert film, between Coachella live stream or Brazil, etc. she maybe believes everyone with an internet connection has had some chance to see a version of this show that she has created with her team.

Of course that’s not the same as experiencing this incredible extended arena version in real life, but that’s life? She’s a business women, she’s a business, and people are buying the tickets. Her job really is to put on the  best show possible and perform her ass off, and she does. 

Edited September 13 by hpmcmill

[elijahfan 26,484]

5 hours ago, monstertoronto said:

The actual answer is no, she is not in charge of ticket prices. She is the creative force and the director and the performer of these shows. But she’s not the the producer.

This is true, but she also has the power, as the artist and face of the show, to choose not to be associated with the method and ask for dynamic pricing to be turned off, as many others did. She might not be in charge of this side of the business, but it wouldn’t be true to assert there’s nothing she can do about it. I love her to death, but I understood a long time ago that our girl loves a good paycheck.

Edited September 13 by elijahfan

[elijahfan 26,484]

14 minutes ago, hpmcmill said:

With all this said, it’s an expensive show with a huge team that’s probably well paid and so she probably cares more about that - the quality of the show fit to her vision - for those that do get to attend, than ticket accessibility concerns for those that can’t attend. She wants the huge stage, the lighting, all the amazing dancers and musicians, the everything. She wants to be the best and in my opinion, is the best.

But all of this is budgeted and covered by ticket prices as announced (and already quite expensive in themselves). As I mentioned, artists perfectly manage to conduct their shows in territories where dynamic pricing isn’t used. Prices randomly skyrocketing for shady reasons is nothing but greed and taking advantage of music fans. It’s not there to go into the production value of the show, it’s literally an unjustified big bonus to whoever is in charge. I’d be surprised that dancers, musicians and technicians saw any of that money.

Edited September 13 by elijahfan