Monday, 19th March 2012
Def Leppard announced the first leg of their 2012 North American tour with Poison on 9th March and many fans are angry at the ticket price increase.
A lot of tickets have gone over the 100 dollar mark and VIP tickets in the first 20 rows range from 225 up to 495 dollars. Most venues in North America have seated floor sections unlike the standing/general admission floors that are more common in the UK and Europe. These sections of course appeal to hardcore/long time fans who want to be close to the stage to get a good view and good sound. The first 20 rows of seats accounts for up to half or more of the floor section.
Looking at the price of the Chicago show and using the interactive seat map on Ticketmaster shows you that the best seats (that most fans would want) are priced at 109 dollars and cover the whole venue excluding the front rows reserved for VIP. The lower priced tickets only give you seats at the very back/nose-bleed side seats of the venue (ranging from 41 to 93 dollars). So the cheaper ticket option doesn't really mean you'll get the same view as the higher priced tickets. The same can be said of the lawn sections of outdoor amphitheatres where the cheaper tickets mean you'll be far away on the lawn (binocular range).
The 2011 UK show prices have gone up since 2008 from the basic 37.50 up to 45 pounds. The total paid in 2011 was about 54 pounds (including fees - but not including travel!) which going by the current exchange rate is 83 dollars. Using the TM map for Chicago that would give UK fans seating options shown in light/dark blue (see pic). A UK ticket in a UK venue would have us anywhere on the floor or in Chicago sections 1-6. UK fans could be anywhere in the venue for the 54 pound price. And on the floor that means the ability to move anywhere - the same position in Chicago would mean paying 109 dollars/70 pounds and being further back. The front rows (1-20-where most fans want to be) in Chicago would mean paying for VIP tickets = 225-495 dollars (146-321 pounds).
Front Row in UK = 54 pounds | Front Row in US = 321 pounds.
The last time the band played full length shows (2002/2003) the prices were about the same (UK 32 pounds/US about 45-50 dollars) for an almost two hour show. Here are some of the comments made on the official facebook posting about VIP/General tickets (and from other sources).
2012 North American Tour Ticket Price - Fan Comments
Linda Sanchez Valencia - "Love VIP but do you have to charge so much ;(?"
Darin Johnson - "Umm...VIP?...no m&g? So you are scaling the premium tic for trinkets? That sux!!!"
Allison Moore - "$225 for the cheapest package? You guys are on crack. Now I know why the first 20 rows are sold out before the tickets go on sale to the general public. This makes me angry. First come, first served has turned into "who wants to pay us the most? OK, you get the good tickets.""
Robby Lane - "Why do these VIP packages seem to NEVER include an exclusive Meet n' Greet?"
Zoe Gawlik - "Tix are outrageous."
Jill Perkins - "I'd like to know what percentage of these tix prices go to the band? Let me guess...20%?? BOYCOTT LIVE NATION...why should a fan have to pay for 17 levels of management that does NOTHING!!!! The band could be making more $$$ and more fans can afford the show with better seats. You want promotion Def Leppard? Personally I don't think you need it. The Rolling Stones don't. Phish doesn't and all their tix are $60.00!! Too bad you guys are already in contract with Live Nation. Don't renew when it's up."
Ben Trout - "It's pretty sad that I'm a Huge def Lep fan and never been to a concert and with these prices I think I never will."
Caden Logan - "These are VIP packages, but you don't get to meet Def Leppard?"
Mark Whittaker - "bought my front row package for atlanta yesterday! with the high prices, it would be great if a meet and greet or backstage tour was included! something to justify charging 3 times the face value of the tickets. but i know it will be a good time!"
Lorrie Young - "checked the prices-wow they went up alot-if you took away Poison and Lita who? and added Journey-then that would be worth the price.Saw you guys last year with Heart-great show. sorry won't pay those outrageous prices from live nation."
Nicole Lo - "So now that you're calling it VIP Nation front row tickets are $450 - $495. No meet n greet. That means when I go to buy a regular priced ticket I won't even have a shot at first row. I refuse to spend that much money, especially when the band plays for a little over an hour. I know other people will spend it so my efforts to boycott this program will go unnoticed. This is why I have stopped traveling to see this band and have decided it is better to spend on money on LOCAL live bands."
AnneBrinton Holloway - "For many years the Def Leppard band members themselves have said that their die-hard fans should be down front and shouldn't have to pay hundreds of dollars to see them. I called the Pepsi Center Box Office in Denver this morning and was told that they would NOT have any 1st or 2nd row available AT ALL when tickets went on sale this Friday. Those tickets went to VIP Nation. Which means, unless you're a die-hard fan with an extra $495, you have NO CHANCE AT ALL at getting a front row seat, or $325 for a possible chance at 2-10 rows. NONE. Do the band members even know about this? Do they care? $495 in this economy for a 75 minute concert and no guarantee of meeting them. So much for supporting the fans that have supported the band for decades. Very hypocritical."
Ed Palmatier - "Love you guys, but $200 - $450 per ticket. Ouch"
Marykay Carota - "So NOT a fan of Live Nation and their stranglehold on the 'concert going experience',I've never felt so ripped off...I'll be in L.A....but that's it,getting where I can't afford to go see you guys anymore,will have to watch the live dvd in the dark and pretend I'm at the show!!!And PLEEZ change up the set some,something dif from the Yeah cd and how about 'X'!? ,Slang......"
Ronnie Rodriguez - "i agree livenation isa rip off greed"
Tim Wening - "While my love for Def Leppard has no end are you serious? $900 for two people in the front row and you don't even get to meet the guys? I'll sit in the grass with the rest of the working class fans. I guess DL hasn't heard the economy is not great at this time."
Shawn Overly Stube - "Die hard Def Leppard fan, will be enjoying the concert from the far back of the DTE pavilion....in this economy, you really expect your die hard's to shell it out....shame on you...don't ya guys have a heart??? I saw you twice front row for $25.00 in the past.....WTH"
Israel Morales - "I'll pay that much money if you make it worth going for. It's been the same setlist for the past two tours just shortened. With the exception of the songs Undefeated and Gods of War. Either extend the setlist or add songs that you've haven't played in years. Make it fun for the fans."
Angie Brown - "Are you serious? Gee, what happened to the Joe that didn't like selling t-shirts for a ridiculous price back in the Hysteria days? You guys want my first born kid too or will just a couple of my limbs do? Sorry, no offense to Rick on that comment, but damnit, you know damn well the people who are most likely to buy those tickets are your diehard fans and that just pisses me off. It's out and out taking advantage of the people who love you the most and it sucks big time!"
Kelly Suire Rask - "Honestly, I've been a fan for 30 years...that will never change. My only problem with the VIP prices is that Def Leppard is the only band that doesn't do a meet and greet...if you are going to pay almost $500 for a ticket (front row or not), the band should at least come out for a quick photo. Most of the people who buy these packages would die to meet them just once. I've met them several times so it's not so important for me...but I know that there are folks out there who would so love to meet them...and pay for that opportunity."
Red Solo Cup - "Over $500 per ticket and no meeting with band??? I've been a lifelong fan but that's ridiculous!"
Misty Cone Johnson - "I just looked at ticket prices for def leppard in atlanta in June! are you kidding me? ridiculous"
Angie Brown - "I am a bit perturbed at the cost of ticket prices here in the states and I can't see how anyone cannot see what's going on here. I mean, in the past, ummm, about 5-6 years the price of tickets have skyrocketed and it seems every year they come up with some new scheme to get more money out of music fans, especially diehard fans. I don't know if you saw the one post someone made, but it totted how Live Nation is the place "true fans" get their tickets. Ummm, like we have much choice given they own almost every damn venue and are the ones selling the tickets."
"Then on top of it, you get some of these fans that accuse you of just bitching and that I should be happy just to be in their presence (the bands that is), umm, last time I knew that weren't frickin' gods, and that we should just suck it up and take what ever crappy seats we can. All I can say to that is, when the prices get so high that they can no longer afford good seats either, I wonder if their minds will change on that one. Sorry, but I'm not affraid to stand up and say something when I think things are not right and if ppl want to say I'm just bitching, so be it, but there alot of ppl who can't afford such high prices, ppl in the past who were able to go to shows and have good seats, but now can't. It's not just about me, it's about every music fan."
"I just think when you have the kind of money that alot of these stars do, you lose touch with what the reality of most ppls worlds are. Most of us are lucky to make enough to pay our bills and maybe have a little left over for luxury items like concerts, but if they keep raising prices like they are, that's not even going to be a reality for alot of us. Basic things keep going up and up in price like gas and food and not even they have gone up like the price of a concert ticket has, yet people complain all the time about them, but ppl don't bat an eye at ticket prices?"
Of course, not all of the 160 plus comments were like this. And over 1700 people clicked "Like' on the link.
Def Leppard - Rock Of Ages Tour 2012
Def Leppard - 2012 Tour News
Previous News - 15th March 2011