'All event' in LA twice the price of Gotenberg

[fumie_fumie]

I just read from ISU board on the difference in price for all event ticket

Gotenberg (2008): $530
For the equivalent area of seating in LA
LA (2009): $1135

For the same set.
After factoring in hotel, flight, meals, it will easily cost me $3,000. Next to impossible to travel with family members.

 

[katymay]

Holy COW!

That is horrible....

I wonder whether someone is overestimating the popularity of figure skating-especially when the US doesn't have any marquee stars in the competition.

Would love to see some explanation of this.....it seems rather greedy to me.

 

[GoldMedalist]

Sneak in.

 

[dorispulaski]

The cost of renting Staples Center is probably really too high for a World championship these days when you can't fill that arena.

Sorry to say, I can't afford it and won't be going,

 

[Ms.Anthrope]

The cost of renting Staples Center is probably really too high

I think you're right about the cost, but CA is very expensive in general. I think they may almost fill the arena for the ladies portion, but I wonder how full/empty the arena will be for the other events.

When I called to purchase a VIP seat package, I was told that all but 4 crappy seats were sold out in that section, which I just can't believe. The organizers are probably holding on to a lot of the very good seat for tour groups or corporate sponsors. It will be interesting to see how many more VIP seats the organizers will release later.

 

[fumie_fumie]

Then, it will be a good idea to wait until perhaps US championship then.

 

[Mafke]

Is the committee that selects sites for WC so stupid that they don't take into account relative cost and relative attractiveness for the city?
And do the facilities involved not have to submit written price estimates?

This just stinks of greed and/or poor planning.

 

[jenny daly]

It seems to be a trend when the Worlds are held in America that the tickets are way more expensive. I was at the 2003 worlds in Washington and paid nearly €800 for an all-event ticket. I paid for the most expensive ticket and ended up in the second tier - practically in nosebleed territory! The next year in Dortmund I again bought an all-event ticket for just under €400 and had a front row, end ice seat. Best seat in the house in fact!

 

[Ms.Anthrope]

Is the committee that selects sites for WC so stupid that they don't take into account relative cost and relative attractiveness for the city?

I wondered that, too. Besides, Downtown L.A. is not a very tourist friendly part of the city & L.A. has very poor public transportation. There are only 1-2 hotels which I would even consider staying in if I were in downtown L.A. However, L.A. does seem to get quite a large # of major conventions just because it's L.A.

 

[1795]

haha the advantages of living in LA!

but does anyone know how much individual discipline pricing?
when to buy? reserve? etc

give tips to a live competition virgin please

i need a job....or jsut stop spending and shopping!

 

[sillylionlove]

I was also thinking of going since I figure that this woulds be the only world championships in the US for a long time. But the price makes it almost impossible. So I think I will be going to Skate America in 2009, where ever it is, plus that will be during the Olympic Season which will make it more exciting.

Now if I win the lottery.........

 

[Mathman]

Welcome, Jenny Daly! Thanks for posting.

 

[Fredegunda]

I just read from ISU board on the difference in price for all event ticket

Gotenberg (2008): $530
For the equivalent area of seating in LA
LA (2009): $1135

For the same set.
After factoring in hotel, flight, meals, it will easily cost me $3,000. Next to impossible to travel with family members.

Are these official prices? In Norway the week or two before the competition you could get good tickets very cheaply from people who had planned to go but in the end could not make it. But I can appreciate that if you don't live in or near LA, it's not an option to trawl Craigslist or the like till the last minute for something that may or may not appear.

I don't know where you are, but Sweden for North Americans could have come close to costing $3000 because of the low dollar (both Cdn and US) against high Scandinavian prices.

Organizers for LA worlds may not think that they can fill the arena to capacity, and therefore feel the need to make up for this lost revenue by charging more for tickets in general. Also, this event is not something that you can buy elsewhere (I mean, if you want it, you have to patronize them, unlike shopping around for food or clothes till you find the best price) so they might believe that people will pay through the nose because there are no alternatives if they want to attend this particular event.

Does the USFSA or ISU ever subsidize ticket prices? If they are so worried about shrinking viewership, they might consider making these kinds of events affordable, so that casual fans and young fans can attend.

 

[sillylionlove]

Yes these are official prices.

This is the website
http://www.isuworlds2009.com/

I don't think you will find cheap tickets closer to the event. They will probably keep the prices the same. That's usually how it works.

 

[1795]

i need to know del/sch's plans before i buy tickets!
i'll buy a VIP seat if they will....