OPINION: Dynamic ticket pricing just leaves real music fans feeling ripped off

The recent sale of tickets for the AC/DC concert in Croke Park was the latest instalment of a large scale music event which left loyal fans fuming at the cost of tickets, or not being able to get any at all. 

These massive scale music shows employ a dynamic ticket pricing system, which essentially sees prices rise as demand does, in a similar way to airline fares at peak times.

Ticketmaster previously explained: "The biggest factor that drives pricing is supply and demand. When there are far more people who want to attend an event than there are tickets available, prices go up."

And lets be honest - if an international act is coming to town for one night only, demand is going to be high. 

The recent AC/DC event saw fans fuming at the cost of standing tickets for the event. I had logged in the hope of catching a reasonably priced ticket for a bit of nostalgia. I'm not a massive fan but can claim to own vinyl versions of lesser known albums such as Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap in addition to Back in Black and For Those About to Rock. 

But after waiting my time, having been behind over 40,000 people in the queue, the best priced ticket was €136, before fees and charges. When I didn't accept those tickets, the price jumped to over €170. AC/DC might sing You Shook Me All Night Long but paying the equivalent of the cost of a short European City Break, when you factor in travel, possible accommodation etc, didn't fully appeal to me. 

On the Saturday while at a game I got an update on my phone to say tickets were still available. Woohoo - I could now get a gold circle one for over €400. Wow, what a bargain!

But I had already made a choice that it was too expensive, and left it at that.  

But many hardcore fans were aggrieved at having to shell out such sums to see their heroes - probably for the last time, as social media lit up with their anger with "daylight robbery" being a common description. 

On another note… #Ticketmaster and #ACDC need to have a bloody word with themselves. “Ticket prices may fluctuate due to demand” my fat arse!!
€335 for ONE standing ticket is a f*****g disgrace!
That’s daylight robbery!!! pic.twitter.com/XOMG9HtQyp

— Stevie Amor (@ScorpioRising_) February 16, 2024

And that probably pales into insignificance when compared to the hysteria for Taylor Swift, when stressed parents tried to buy tickets for the young Swifties in their families. One can only image the Veruca Salt style outbursts of 'I want it now' when the much sought after golden tickets didn't materialise. 

Then there was the Coldplay saga with multiple dates announced, with some exorbitant prices to go along with it. I just checked to see if tickets were available - a Supersolis Experience ticket (no idea what that is) is available for €257.75 each. An Ultimate Spheres ticket will cost you €987.85 each. Yes - EACH!

I saw them in the early days in Punchestown and really after Parachutes and A Rush of Blood to the Head, I'm not that impressed - I'd rather spend that sort money on a flight to Australia, thanks very much. 

It seemed a lot more simple when tickets were available at a set price and then if the gig sold out, a second date might be announced. 

Remember those days of going into an actual shop, and seeing a batch of printed tickets behind the counter!

Now, for the biggest gigs you see the dreaded 'prices starting from' ... And as we have seen, they can be north of €1,000 after fees, and that's not from touts!

You see selling tickets above face value is now illegal. But you can charge €987.75 for one. 

Dynamic ticket prices might sound impressive, but it just sees genuine music fans paying a fortune to see their favourite act. That's many things, but dynamic is not how I would describe it!