Is it worth going to concerts? 

How much would you pay to see your favorite artist live? If you live around New York City and the answer is $100, then you would be paying the average ticket price for a concert according to a 2017 study from Wanderau.com. That same study also concluded that, for major acts like The Weeknd and Katy Perry, the average ticket price in Boston was around $98.71, while in Uncasville, Connecticut the average was around $104.35. These prices were based on multiple factors such as interest in a particular artist, stadium fees and the purchasing power of a particular region. A question that needs to be asked is: Why are concert tickets so expensive?  

In 2009, the average nationwide price to see a major act was around $62.60. Today, the average price is around $91.90. Some of the reasons prices have gone up range from higher production budgets for concerts to decreasing album sales. Whatever the reason is, this is not stopping people from attending live music events. 

In a 2018 study conducted by Nielsen, 52% of Americans attended a live music event that year. With that many people attending concerts every year, there seems to be no incentive for artists and ticket companies to lower prices. Yet artists like Ed Sheeran seem to think differently. During Sheeran’s Divide tour, he charged an average of $80.90 a show. In contrast, Bruno Mars tickets were an average of $132.27 a show.  

One factor that may be keeping ticket prices high is the resale market. While artists like Sheeran may sell somewhat affordable tickets, those same tickets could be sold for double on sites like StubHub. There are other sites like Seat Geek which sort out the best deal for resale tickets on particular shows. Even with these resale sites, there will still be certain artists that will have high prices no matter what. 

So what can you do to save money on tickets? For starters, try sitting toward the back of an arena since the cheapest tickets for any show are usually the farthest away from the stage. While the view may not be great, it can save you quite a bit. Another way to save money on concerts would be to buy tickets right before the show. While this may not always work out, buying a ticket to a show a couple of days or even hours before it starts can save you big, as resellers will be trying to sell their unsold tickets at almost any price to recoup their costs. If you are planning on getting food or concessions at an arena before a concert, you may want to eat before or after the show. At Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, New York, a Dunkin’ iced coffee is $8, while that same iced coffee at a standard Dunkin’ location is $2.49. 

Going to concerts may seem impossible given how expensive tickets and concessions are. However, that should not stop you from seeing an artist you love. Concerts are a great way to meet new people and experience music you love in a live setting. They are also good for your health, according to a British study. Being at a concert for at least 20 minutes can increase the feeling of well-being by 21%. So is it worth going to a concert? If it’s good for your health and can make you happy than yes, the cost is worth the outcome.  

Ian Ward is a campus correspondent for The Daily Campus. He can be reached via email at ian.ward@uconn.edu