Springsteen Silent on Outrageously High Ticket Prices
The progressive rocker, an alleged 'man of the people,' ignores fan outrage
A 2018 paper from Arcadia University dubbed Bruce Springsteen a “Voice of the Working Class.”
Springsteen’s working class identity is portrayed in his writing in a generalized fashion to represent a large portion of working class people. He does this through storytelling and the creation of characters. Springsteen also looks to represent common emotions rather than specific circumstances.
And, at first blush, it makes sense.
Few ’70s rockers captured blue-collar America better than The Boss. Lyrics to tracks like “Born to Run,” “Darkness on the Edge of Town” and “Wrecking Ball” evoke the struggles many face living paycheck to paycheck, the American Dream just out of reach. Springsteen’s bandana and jeans mirrored that sentiment.
Yet reality isn’t matching that decades-old brand of late.
Springsteen’s devotion to the Democrats is part of the problem. New polling shows that middle class voters are switching to the GOP as progressive policies pummel Joe and Jane Sixpack.
The rock legend, who campaigned hard for President Joe Biden, indirectly brought hardship to countless Americans facing soaring gas prices and shocking inflation rates. That’s a political miscalculation, but an apology would be nice.
This is @joebiden’s hometown. This is more than where he’s from. This is who he’s for. pic.twitter.com/6ZSK3dXY4H
— Bruce Springsteen (@springsteen) October 31, 2020
The Boss’s new working class problem is partially self-inflicted. And you won’t see them referenced in any new lyrics.
Variety reports his passionate fan base is outraged by ticket prices for his upcoming tour.
[Fans] found tickets going for as as $4,000-5,000 for mid-range floor seats, and into the four-figures for other, less desirable tickets that remained. If these were being offered on the secondary market, offers that exorbitant might be expected… but what gave fans sticker shock was that these were face value tickets, with no middleman jacking up the price.
What working class stiff can pony up that much for mediocre seats?
Your silence on ticket prices is deafening @springsteen @StevieVanZandt @nilslofgren and don’t give me it’s nothing to do with me bollocks
— Andy Walker (@andy_walker13) July 21, 2022
Concert prices in the modern era are consistently sky-high for the biggest names in music. Still, Springsteen isn’t planning to retire anytime soon, and those fees capture a sizable disconnect with his base.
Even the far-Left Variety couldn’t sugarcoat the lousy optics connected to his 2023 tour. The magazine dutifully reached out to Team Springsteen for comment on the matter.
The site came up empty.
Other bands have milked faithful fans for similarly high prices. Ticket prices for a Paul McCartney show are never cheap, but Macca didn’t forge a career from an Everyman pose.
RELATED: Springsteen’s Unity Plea: Virtue Signaling at Its Worst
Springsteen and his fabled E Street Band could be buying time, mulling a more suitable response. Or, he knows his icon status is secure, and longtime fans will either skip this tour or pony up for the not-so-cheap seats.
This isn’t a new issue for The Boss, though.
His Broadway run four years ago similarly featured prices out of reach for his blue-collar base. “Springsteen on Broadway” went on as planned, and fans figured his Great White Way run wasn’t meant for them anyway.
Now, he’s mum following a genuine outcry from his loyal flock. His “Working Class” bona fides are suddenly taking a hit.
UPDATE: NJ.com weighed in on the matter, blistering New Jersey’s native son in the process.
It is exceedingly clear that Bruce Springsteen does not care how much a given fan spends to see him play. If he did care, the rock icon who recently sold the rights to his publishing catalog for a cool $500 million — and whose concert tours typically rake in around $200 million at the box office — would refuse to work with Ticketmaster, finance the shows himself, buy permits to use unoccupied fields across America and set a ticket price he alone could control.
UPDATE: This columnist, an unabashed Boss fan, shares why Springsteen’s callous take on the ticket prices subject is a PR nightmare.
To be sure, this episode likely will not shred Springsteen’s reputation, but it will leave a lasting mark. Especially with long-term fans and those who yearn to learn about the legend.
First, he admitted that everything in his blue collar/racing songs was made up, that he had NO experience in any of it. Second, listen to excerpts from of his recent concerts any you will see that he has lost his voice and can hardly sing. For this I’m suppose to fork over thousands? I don’t think so.
He’s all washed up, go home and listen to his first 4 albums…
Do you really think the so called “Boss` couldn’t stand up to ticketmaster?! There are so many hundreds of ways to sell tickets. Lest we forget years ago when Tom Petty stood up to the record company for raising album prices. He wouldn’t hear of it, stood his ground, rallied for his loyal fan base, and got prices reduced. Try and tell me Mr. Springsteen doesn’t have that amount of clout. Practice what you preach Bruce. Your loyal”working class stiffs deserve it. Or are your lyrics a total farce? Makes me wonder.
Couldn’t have put it better!
If he’s ‘The Boss’ he could quite easily bypass Ticketmaster etc and stamp out secondary selling at inflated prices ie touts.
If fans can’t go after buying tickets they can only sell back to the original seller for face value etc etc
I agree completely and remember him holding back the release of that album due to the record company trying to raise prices. Tom was who he said he was. No arrogance there. He was about the people his music delighted and not merely the money he could make. He was the real deal inside out. Miss him!
It was on Ticketmaster’s site that you had to sign up to buy tickets for Bruce Springsteen’s concert ahead of time. I got tickets for $275 for the Xcel center in St. Paul, Minnesota. The day after the presale that you signed up for, the same tickets for one row ahead of me were $850 – $1250. So if you would have followed Ticketmaster’s rules and signed up for the presale, you wouldn’t be buying exorbitant priced tickets. All you had to do was read. And sign up.
sell your tickets for a nice profit. bruce the farmer would be proud.
Let’s put the blame where it squarely lies: the people willing to pony up the 4 figure prices in the first place. Without the demand, these prices don’t exist.
The company has to make their money to he could speak but will it do any good every thing has gone up why you that wouldn’t the food has gone up either go to the concert or don’t
He is a total leftist douchbag. I wouldn’t pay ONE dollar to see him play. Anyone who does is just as stupid as he is. He is the iconic…***hole…
So basically if someone gave me a ticket to see a legendary artist for $1 and I said yes, I’d be stupid? I love music, hate politics, so i can separate the 2. That being said he should probably do some damage control, even if it’s done by ticketmaster he can’t be completely helpless.
Wanna see him at Madison Square Garden on April 1, 2023? Gotta mortgage your house first. Only $12,704 for two seats together and not even STAGE level! copy and paste this –> https://gametime.co/concert/bruce-springsteen-tickets/4-1-2023-new-york-ny-madison-square-garden/events/62cd98e95996bc000176a974/listings/62cde9747b4e3559b6fe8529?zoom=9
I don’t think you could write a more biased article if you try.. so much for objective journalism.. did you go to the Breitbart School of writing?… The artist really has nothing to do with ticket prices
I mean, their tagline is “the right take on entertainment”. Unlike most of the leftist sites, they’re quite open about their bias and not pretending to be neutral.
Bruce, Tell your fans how you feel. Don’t leave us in Darkness on The Edge of Town. Prove it all Night so your fans aren’t living in Badlands. We have such High Hopes give us a Reason to Believe or will your silence be a Ten Avenue Freeze Out, You’ve Got it, your Tougher than the Rest!
it be like “how bad do ya wanna see him?”
“It be like”……hoe uneducated are you?
Honestly, he’s probably smarter than you.
I have loved Springsteen and his music for years. I am a 66 year old retired working class woman. I would love to attend a concert but will mot as it is simply to expensive,
He’s always been a fraud.
It’s ticketmaster that priced it.
Read!!
I remember when he was known as Hypesteen. Not much has changed. That was 1975.
You left out a key part of the story that’s mentioned in the second paragraph of the Variety story you link to–this is Ticketmaster setting the price “dynamically”. There’s a whole other story that could be written about Ticketmaster’s predatory practices, but it’s not Springsteen setting the prices, at least not directly. There’s plenty of blame to go around here.
Isn’t he the Boss? Stop defending HIS predatory practices. He’s probably a billionaire and sadly now acting like one.
Complain to Ticketmasters. This isn’t thev1970s. All big venues contract with Tickmasters.
It’s not even Ticketmaster — it’s the SCALPERS who are charging that much. Maybe if the REPUGNANTS hadn’t deregulated the industry…..
Try reading the article numbnuts. Those are face value ticket prices, not second party.
Unfortunately it was TM with dynamic pricing. We passed on q250 GA tix, that TM priced , not scalpers when tickets immediately went on sale.
Agree. Some of the Concert’s venue’s he is playing are refusing to give their tickets to TicketMaster. Wells Fargo you have to buy tickets from them. I am curious how much they will cost. I hope I can get tickets, but no way am I paying thousands of dollars for any musician. Probably his last Concert and it’s a shame that his some of his fan’s won’t be able to go. Tickets are selling out though. TicketMaster is at fault as well. They are the one’s making the prices. It’s not right.
Just be rich or date one of the senior citizens that like his music. His music is boring and I will go see a real band like the Chili Peppers and happily pay $350 for decent seats.
Bruce could easily set the prices to his performances.
don’t go
These pple don’t read. Quick to blame hom tho. Ticketmaster is a rip off and the idiots comments are stupid.
Pearl Jam tickets can only be resold ON TICKETMASTER for face value. It can be done.
Amen! There’s a way to do it and both Pearl Jam and RATM have figured it out, though some Rage fans were vocal about $125 floor tickets (?)
Springsteen, after all these years should be throwing a fit.
Are you on the pipe? Seriously. If he wanted to sell tickets cheaper do you think Ticketmaster or Livevent would say no to his demands?
The artist sets the prices and opts in or out of dynamic pricing
I got a job working construction for the Johnstown company
But lately there ain’t been much work
on account of the economy.
Now Springsteen want $300
to see him sing about us poor.
Are his song a lie; I think we have the proof
These leftists are just the worst.
They send me down to the river,
and in my van I will die…
You work for free???
Didn’t think so.
Too bad uneducated idiots like you can’t afford the tickets. But at least I won’t get stuck sitting next to a bunch of orange-teet-suckers.
If anyone is ignorant it’s you. So happy for you that you have the ability to afford them however what gives you the right to belittle someone who just cannot afford them. Walk in his shoes for one day and let’s see how cocky you are then
You are truly clueless as to the reality MOST Americans face. Definitely an elitist mentality.
If I had a small fraction of his net worth, yes I would do at cost tours. He had a band member with Eat the Rich on his guitar some years back, what hypocritical irony! Make all the excuses you want, it does change what a POS he is. Hey you morons, he is one of the one percent you whine about just like Apple phone you will still be clinging to when you leave this mortal coil.
I can easily afford the tickets, but I just refuse to pay it. There is NO act out there now that’s worth it. And full disclosure? I’ve seen him 8 times, the most expensive ticket was $95. Enjoy the show you flippant libtard, we’ll see you at the ballot box later this year …
Springsteen ‘s words and lyrics while sounding beautiful unfortunately are hollow. He is no common man . Far from it!
Do your homework on Harry Chapin who doesn’t come close in fame but was real champion of the people. Did free concerts. Unheard of today!
The boss got bills too ♀️
Not very much. Do You know his net worth
If any idiot wants to pay a thousand dollars to see a dude 40 years past his prime sing the same shit he was singing in 1983 I say good for Springsteen. I stopped buying Stones tickets at Steel Wheels. They were done after that. If I want to see and hear an oldies retrospective I’ll tune into NPR for free.
While I will not pay these prices to see Bruce and the band. My last show , he played 4 hours and 6 minutes. That was in 2017. He also played over 155 different songs on that tour. Neither of those concurs with your past his prime view. Can’t comment on The Stones as seeing them twice was good enough. But find me other bands that are in their prime now that play 4 hours and change their setlist every night. I will be patiently waiting for your reply as I will check them out on their next tour.
Nobody claimed that he didn’t play for a long time or change his setlist.
Phish
Rolling Stones kicked ass 3 years ago. 4 + hours non stop music. Worth every penny of 300.00 great seats.
This crap with Springsteen tickets is outrageous.
He’should have quit years ago. And a Democrat,,,get f***ed Bruce
I agree..just another liberal stealing people’s money.
Really he just pocketed over half a billion dollars for his music rights late last year I hardly think he has trouble making any bills or ends meeting! He should charge bout $10 for all tickets since he’s got a net worth close to a billion and is over 70 yrs old
So he should lose money on every show because you don’t make enough to buy the tickets?
Did you buy your car for less than it costed to make? Do you expect groceries stores to give you food?
Grow TF up. NO ONE owes you a damn thing.
I agree. If he did sell his tickets for less, people would just buy them and sell them on the secondary market for more. It is what it is.
How much out of that price does the band actually get. Does the Boss get a cut? Or is he just played a flat rate each night. It might just be Live Nation and the promo co. Getting the most from the ticket price .
First, it is cost not “costed”, second, he would not be losing money on $50 tickets so tickets in the thousands are nothing short of outrageous. Not surprising, I expect this from the
do as I say, not as I do” group so many entertainers belong to. I suggest you “grow up” or, at the very least, educate yourself on both spelling and economics. It will keep you from embarrassing yourself any further. On a side note, using capital letters only makes you look more foolish.
You can also make the argument that entertainers do owe their fans something because without the fans they would have nothing, just ask the multitude of talented performers who populate the bar scene only because they did not get their big break.
When one publicly berates another, it only makes the former look bad.
Well said that man.
If you’ve ever seen the Boss you would be more than happy to pay the face Value, 3 hours of watching a legend!!
You tight sods!!
I seen him at his prime. Uh…no, I would not be happy to pay a 4 figure face value. His show is ok but nothing spectacular. Huey Lewis and Tina Turner both put on a better show.
I have and regretted it to this day. The only high point was I did not pay for it. He may be your boss, but for me after “Greetings from Ashbury Park” he has never come close to his potential. He is an opportunist of the worse variety.
I agree with you but I feel the tickets should be more reasonable. The economy right now is worse than previous years and that makes it tough for those who just cannot afford it. I have seen him several times and absolutely love him but the question is how do you justify spending over 300 for nosebleed section when it is a problem of financial problems. I am just disappointed I was looking forward to this all year. It says there were some who got them for 150. Where are those out in the parking lot. I have been checking prices since I heard about this. It is just sad
Behind the stage
I had the opportunity to see QUEEN + Adam Lambert in Nashville Tennessee in 2019. My dad got tickets for me and a friend of mine. We were really close to the stage. I took awesome pics bcuz of that. The tickets were worth it $300 bcuz of where our seats were. And…Brian May and Roger Taylor ARE rock legends as well. Oops…I used capital letters…lol.
The real problem is this. Ticketmaster is allowed to purchase bulk blocks of tickets that they then resell at 5 and 10 times normal value. I live in New York. I have emailed the attorney general to stop this practice. It goes on in many states. That’s the problem. Tickets for Bruce that would be 200$ are being sold for 3-5 thousand ny ticketmaster. If people are going to pay. There you go
The Boss is a sellout!! He is in on the griff and shows his true colors. I have travelled all over the country to watch his concerts on dozens of occasion thinking he cared about the working man but the more success and money he obtained the greedier he became.He is more like the Trumpies
Than he is a working man. Phony!!
He did do something about the Broadway Show Tickets. He demanded that a certain amount of tickets be available for $70. You could an enter a lottery everyday to win those tickets. I was one of the winners. It was a great show. 2016 was my last Concert I saw Bruce twice. My ticket was $130 for good seats. He donates $10,000 to the food banks in every city he plays. Has done that for years. Surprised at these prices. Maybe it’s up to Sony now they own his music. You can get $200 tickets if you’re lucky. Then the price goes up quickly. It’s not right. Any concert tickets are these prices today. Bruce at least gives 4 hour Concert’s with no breaks. I hope he speaks out.
Bruce is the 3rd richest rocker in the world. After this tour Bruce will be the 2nd richest behind some guy named McCartney. Bruce doesn’t have any trouble paying his bills even if he’s living in a place called Fairview.
REALLY
Bills too ?