Leroy Shafer, chief operating officer of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, seems like an easygoing enough guy. But you know what makes him really, really mad?
All of these jacked-up price tags on RodeoHouston concert tickets.
With an all-star lineup that includes country giants Tim McGraw and George Strait alongside acts like Mary J. Blige and Pitbull, it seemed inevitable that tickets to the nightly performances would go for a little above the initial asking price.
"It is hard to predict if such sky high prices will maintain until the actual date of the concert, but it wouldn't surprise me."
But KHOU's Courtney Zubowski reports that it's far worse than expected, with some seats now priced in the thousands on the secondary market.
Where an upfront seat at Bruno Mars or Lady Antebellum should cost around $25, online sellers have them listed closer to $600 per ticket. Tickets to see the King of Country are going for upwards of $12,000 on some sites, the highest that Pat Ryan, co-owner of The Ticket Experience, has ever seen — and by a large margin.
"It is hard to predict if such sky high prices will maintain until the actual date of the concert, but it wouldn't surprise me," Ryan tells CultureMap. "There are plenty of people within driving distance with disposable income who will be motivated to see Strait's final Houston concert."
RodeoHouston released more than 900,000 tickets to Rodeo members, volunteers and season ticket holders before the box office ever officially opened, and the premium seats might explain the high-dollar prices that scalpers have set on the open market.
"If it's a season ticket holder and we can prove they are selling our tickets, reselling our tickets for higher than face value, we'll revoke their rights to sell tickets," warned Shafer.
George Strait will bring his farewell tour to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and diehard fans are willing to part with big bucks for the who.
