Bruce Springsteen is famous for his songs about working Americans—but when tickets for his eagerly awaited 2023 tour went on sale recently, fans were dismayed to see prices beyond the reach of most Americans who aren't working as hedge fund CEOs. The price of some floor seats rose above $4,000 due to Ticketmaster's "dynamic pricing" system, also known as "Platinum Seats," which adjusts prices based on demand, the Asbury Park Press reports. The base price for tickets on the tour, Springsteen's first since 2017, was $59.50 to $399 before service fees. Sales began July 20 and are being staggered over 10 days.
Ticketmaster, which is handling sales for almost all Springsteen's tour dates, responded to an outcry over ticket prices by releasing sales statistics on Sunday, Variety reports. The company said only 11.8% of sales were made under the "Platinum" program, which is set up to combat ticket resellers like StubHub, and only 1.3% of total ticket sales were over $1,000. Ticketmaster said the average ticket price was $262, with 56% of tickets sold for under $200. But the lower-priced tickets were snapped up by the first fans to get through the queue, meaning the Platinum prices were all that most fans saw when they got through, Variety notes. Springsteen has yet to comment on the issue.
Tickets for most Springsteen tour dates—a full list can be seen here—will go on sale later this week, with tickets for the New York dates and the Newark tour finale going on sale Friday. US Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., a New Jersey Democrat who has often criticized the ticketing industry, accused Ticketmaster of using big events "as an opportunity to soak regular Americans," NJ.com reports. He said he plans to reintroduce legislation named after Springsteen. The Better Oversight of Secondary Sales and Accountability in Concert Ticketing, or BOSS ACT, would require the Federal Trade Commission to introduce rules on ticket sales and distribution. (More Bruce Springsteen stories.)
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