Paranoid Android wrote on Apr 16
th, 2011 at 11:39pm:
New ( realistic ) Business Model = Residencies + Mid Markets + "No Security" attitude - Ego - Cohl Model = Successful 50th...
Hell...why not just set up shop in London, NYC, Vegas and LA...Clean house...Play/Relax...and go out a winner!!!
Thats exactly what they should do - but its
not going to work with the ticket pricing model they use now.
The system they've used on recent tours is fine if you're someone who doesnt go to many shows by ANY act and if you're only going to see the Stones ONCE per tour.
Setting up house at Madison Square Garden, the MGM Grand, the 02 Arena or wherever and playing ten shows or so is only workable if you're going to attract repeat attendees and/or tourists. If you're flying to see a gig and paying for hotels, most people's options are going to be seriously limited if they're being asked to pay a week's salary for a concert ticket as well. Its even worse if you're wanting to see more than one show.
It works for the likes of Prince because most of his tickets are very cheap, but its subsidised by having a small % which are very expensive. Most of his tickets in London in 2007 were £31.21. He filled 21 nights at the 02. Thats over 400,000 seats. Most Stones tickets were
five times as expensive. They just about sold out three shows. Prince is doing 21 nights at the LA Forum now with most tickets costing $25 - there are a few hundred I think which cost several hundred dollars. That's the way to do it. On the last tour the Stones hardly ever played more than one or two nights anywhere - they did a few return visits to major markets like New York and LA, but basically had to time those to take place 5-6 months later to allow the ticketbuyer's wallets to recover from their previous visit.