Long line for Wolftrap Tickets this year (Vienna, Wolf Trap: sales, buying) - Northern Virginia - Virginia (VA) - City-Data Forum

Caladium · 03-24-2012, 12:23 PM

Tickets went on sale today to Wolftrap's summer season. My son went and to his surprise reported that at 10 a.m. there was a line all the way down the hill.

It took him about 40 minutes to get to the booth, by which time Bonnie Raitt was selling lawn tickets only and the ticket seller said Bare Naked Ladies was close to being sold out (although he was able to get pavilion seating, so I'm not sure if that meant the lawns is also sold out).

I've never seen lines like this to buy tickets for Wolftrap! Just thought I'd pass the word in case some of you are thinking of heading there.

tysonsengineer · 03-24-2012, 12:27 PM

Huh, well busy = good I guess

I've never had an issue buying tickets for shows online for Wolftrap

Wolf Trap Vienna - Wolf Trap Tickets Available from Official-Online-Tickets.com

Says there are plenty available still for Bonnie Raitt.

I am looking forward to Norah Jones and Crosby Stills and Nash this year (finally more than just Steve Miller Band).

Caladium · 03-24-2012, 12:33 PM

Maybe the ticket re-sale site bought up all the Bonnie Raitt tickets? That might explain why it was harder to get Raitt tickets than Barenaked Ladies (nothing against Bonnie, but BNL tickets would be the hot item this season, I'd think). We prefer buying them on site rather than online since they charge something like $6 per ticket. With the number of shows we see, multiplied by the number of family members, that handling fee gets too pricey for us.

CAVA1990 · 03-24-2012, 12:45 PM

Shouldn't a line like that be a clue for them to raise the price? I can never understand why venues allow profitable secondary market conditions to exist. Never heard of revenue management? The airlines figured that out a long time ago.

Caladium · 03-24-2012, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

Shouldn't a line like that be a clue for them to raise the price? I can never understand why venues allow profitable secondary market conditions to exist. Never heard of revenue management? The airlines figured that out a long time ago.

You've got a point. I don't really know how concert pricing works, but Wolftrap charged my son $30 for Bonnie Raitt (lawn) and $42 for Barenaked Ladies (Center Rear Orchestra). The site tysons engineer found is charging $68 or Bonnie Raitt (lawn) and $128 for Barenaked Ladies (Center Rear Orchestra). Andif you go to the box office there's no handling charge at all--so that's a $94/ticket difference!

That's one huge difference. I assume they charge those prices because they think people are willing to pay it. Maybe Wolftrap should take note?

(Wait, what am I saying????

I like paying $42 for orchestra seats to see BNL!)

tysonsengineer · 03-24-2012, 02:39 PM

Cause if you just corporatize a concert it becomes sterile and lame. Just like when some over rated dumba$$ plays at verizon center. And by plays I mean has their recorded music played over a sound system which sounds like the speaker system on Metro. Get your $400 tickets now for watching Madonna do her Yoga routine on a stage 1/4 mile away from your seat to a bad club remix of her crappiest hits.

Cool music is devoid of financial reason. This hipster thought was brought to you by the cooler and younger Tysons Engineer who once inspired to be a jazz trumpeter. I wish concerts would return back to waiting in a line and making venues the actual sellers again.

vermonter16 · 03-26-2012, 05:06 AM

Wolf Trap is still the cheapest place to see a concert and you can bring in your own food and beverage. Plus - parking is FREE! Try going to the Verizon Center and seeing a show...generally $100+ per ticket, $20+ for parking, and either make sure you eat ahead of time or pay the price. Wolf Trap is a national park and does lots for the community. I'll give them my money for a show I want to see any day of the week.

CAVA1990 · 03-26-2012, 06:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vermonter16

Wolf Trap is still the cheapest place to see a concert and you can bring in your own food and beverage. Plus - parking is FREE! Try going to the Verizon Center and seeing a show...generally $100+ per ticket, $20+ for parking, and either make sure you eat ahead of time or pay the price. Wolf Trap is a national park and does lots for the community. I'll give them my money for a show I want to see any day of the week.

My favorites are smaller names who perform at places like The Jammin' Java. Much easier on the wallet.

slim04 · 03-26-2012, 10:55 AM

FYI scalper prices are not the market price. Scalpers serve a very small consumer base. A venue might have 400 tickets to sell at one price level, but the scalpers will maybe sell a few dozen at that level. So the busy businessman who wants to see a concert, but didn't plan ahead, might be willing to pay double or triple the price. However, 400 people are not going to do so. The scalpers also take a huge risk that tickets at their high price won't sell, so they price that risk into their prices.

So maybe a dozen people are willing to pay triple the price for Mezz, but if the venue has the same price, instead of selling 400 or so seats, they may only sell a dozen or so. So in the end they lose money.

Also, another huge issue with the Wolf Trap is memberships. I have a feeling most of the ticket revenue goes to the artists, so the Wolf Trap does not have an incentive to maximize ticket revenue. Instead, they have an incentive to maxmize attendance (for concessions and access to donors), membership sales, and donations. The more people attend, the more they are likley to become members and donate. Having early access to purchase the best seats is also a powerful sales tool for memberships. So if those tickets are blocked off as premium seating, who is going to buy memberships? That isn't a good deal for the Wolf Trap if that increased revenue goes to the artists.

Caladium · 03-26-2012, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slim04

Also, another huge issue with the Wolf Trap is memberships. I have a feeling most of the ticket revenue goes to the artists, so the Wolf Trap does not have an incentive to maximize ticket revenue. Instead, they have an incentive to maxmize attendance (for concessions and access to donors), membership sales, and donations. The more people attend, the more they are likley to become members and donate. Having early access to purchase the best seats is also a powerful sales tool for memberships. So if those tickets are blocked off as premium seating, who is going to buy memberships? That isn't a good deal for the Wolf Trap if that increased revenue goes to the artists.

Good point, and you're right that the more people go the more they tend to become members. We're weighing membership for next year, and the reason is members get the first dibs on the best seats.