Words: Joe Peat (he/him)
How much would you pay to be in proximity to your idol? Nowadays, you’ll likely spend as much on Ticketmaster as you would in Currys PC World. In the digital age, so-called “parasocial relationships” are formed between consumer and creator through social media, VIP tour packages, and exclusive merch which offer more opportunities for closeness than ever. From Nigel Farage’s Cameo videos to Cristiano Ronaldo going live on Instagram, obsession thrives as fans have increased access to pedestal toppers. However, interaction often comes with a hefty price tag. When the cost of tickets and merchandise only seem to skyrocket the question needs to be asked – what are the ethics behind charging so much?
Merchandise can be a hugely lucrative business for artists. Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour merchandise brought in an estimated $200 million alone. An artist’s assets increase as more of their merchandise is sold, steadily leading to all associated products remaining consistent in price. This is what slowly converts performers into franchises; simultaneously powering these juggernauts of industry and financially maximising on fan loyalty. Huge stars can cause a big stir with tours and gigs, and of course with increased popularity, comes increased demand. Ticketmaster uses this increased demand strategically with dynamic pricing – this has proved a contentious choice with most fans and the public, making national headlines this summer.
Dynamic pricing involves real time adjustments to ticket prices depending on demand. It is this pricing strategy that initially erupted the smoke from Oasis fans’ ears after having to pay hundreds more than expected for tickets to their 2025 reunion tour. Some might say Oasis peaked in 1996 after reaching Number 1 in the UK. The same year, the band performed the arguable apex of their live career at Knebworth 1996. To be one of the thousands who experienced this monumental moment in the band’s history fans had to pay £22.50, equivalent to approximately £44 today. To see the same band almost 30 years later – a far cry from the youthful and rumbustious group of 1996 – fans paid up to a staggering £495, £345 over the marketed price. On X the ticket-buying process was described by one fan as ‘genuinely a shame’ only for Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher to respond with one clear message, ‘SHUTUP’. This message alone exemplifies the inequality of the “parasocial relationship” when idols silence their fans with a single tweet from a verified account. Despite Liam’s apathetic response, the backlash was so profuse Oasis ruled out dynamic pricing for their North American tour. Nevertheless, multi-millionaire and KISS bassist Gene Simmons defended dynamic pricing in a Forbes Magazine interview arguing, ‘If you don’t want to pay that amount, don’t go’. The idea that a person’s ability to see their idol, their hero, is dependent on their income is what wedges the insurmountable brick wall between fans and artists – a wall built entirely on profit. It’s this wall that prices out lower-income fans from gigs.
This barrier between fan and artist shapes today’s reactionary fan culture. To restore the days of reasonable ticket prices and more ethical practices in the industry retaliation is needed. The official Eras Tour products brought millions in; as Taylor Swift stood before a packed Murrayfield Stadium Kaleigh Gore handcrafted 120 friendship bracelets to swap with other fans. It is this form of genuine fan appreciation opposed to corporate mass-produced products that represents the future of fandom; a fandom of connection and expression rather than one of subservience and greed. Another innovation gathering the steam needed to halt dynamic pricing’s grasp is sliding scale pricing. This is a ticketing strategy that considers individual circumstances by using criteria such as customer income to price a ticket, rather than collective demand. This method is already utilised by Grassroots venues and the Advisory Board of Arts to make the arts more accessible to people from all incomes, and lower the financial constraints that impede access. Fandoms are cultivated through expression, connection, and shared love for an artist. Why should a price tag prevent that?
In the foreseeable future exceedingly expensive concert tickets and merchandise will continue to power titans of the industry, like Kylie Minogue and Billy Joel, who plan to implement dynamic pricing on their UK tours. However, Oasis’ withdrawal of the strategy in their North American tour demonstrates the necessary push for fixed rate tickets. Hopefully, Oasis fans’ outrage against dynamic pricing represents the dying embers of the pricing strategy. As artists are transformed into profitable franchises and the digital era means ties are closer than ever, the question of who is truly benefitting from the “parasocial relationship” needs to be considered. We can only hope Grassroots reactionary culture will take the forefront as more fans connect under an umbrella not clutched by the capitalist mechanisms fuelling the industry. Fandoms will always come with a hefty price tag, but for how much longer will ethics be considered less than the profitability of these idols we cherish?
References:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0747563220301722
https://oasisinet.com/music/some-might-say/#:~:text=’Some%20Might%20Say’%2C%20the,released%20on%20 April%2024th%201995.
https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/monetary-policy/inflation/inflation-calculator
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2kj3742jxwo
https://x.com/liamgallagher/status/1831992176688984459?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1831992176688984459%7Ctwgr%5Ed161057413f7d60e5950df9d9dcab0646d2805cf%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fmusic%2Farticle%2F2024%2Fsep%2F06%2Fshut-up-liam-gallagher-shrugs-off-criticism-of-oasis-ticket-prices
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=gayle+s.+stever+parasocial+attraction&btnG=
https://www.instagram.com/p/DAiuvZzNhpR/?hl=en
https://www.advisoryboardarts.com/accessible-ticket-pricing-pay-what-you-will-considerations
