scalping was legalized in 2007. Same for concerts. It used to be illegal to resell tickets for more than 10% higher than the original price. I think producers started thinking that if people were buying $75 tickets and reselling them for $300, the production might as well get the price some people are willing to pay rather than letting the scalpers have it. But now, for the hottest shows, scalpers still buy up the higher priced tickets and still resell them for even more. The whole thing has escalated.
Thankfully, I get a lot of steeply discounted theater tickets via various ways, especially via membership with the nonprofit Theater Development Fund. But the overall effect of legal scalping plus inflation is more expensive theater tix. I used to go much more frequently than I do now. I occasionally buy theater tix at full price like I did for Glengarry Glen Ross. But there is only so high I will occasionally go.
It’s stupid and greedy and not considering at all developing the next generation of theatre lovers. But as long as some people are willing to pay these crazy prices, they are going to keep charging them. Just like buying airline tix, you have to figure out the ways to get tickets cheaper. I went to GGR on a Tuesday evening when tix to and good seats for shows are usually more available than they are for weekend shows. But the show was completely sold out on Tuesday evening at ridiculous prices. It was a great experience though and I’m glad I went and “grateful” that I “only” had to spend $100.
I’ll stop ranting now.
