The dynamic duo?
No one could have missed the outrage that blew up over dynamic ticket pricing when Oasis announced their comeback tour last year. It seems that fans are easy pickings for ticket companies and promoters keen to make as much money as possible. In 1996, the band sold 250,000 £22.50 tickets in less than 24 hours for their Knebworth gig. Fast forward almost twenty years, and tickets were in the £300 – £500 bracket.
While the Oasis live experience might be unlike anything else, and the line-up, which includes Richard Ashcroft and Cast, pushes the shows towards the mini-festival genre of gigs, there are still plenty of people wondering how they might be able to find tickets for other gigs, shows and general entertainment at not such exorbitant prices.
Even though Arts Minister Chris Bryant promised to ‘do something’ and urged people to ‘watch this space’, there doesn’t seem to be much action from our legislators. The technology around the queuing systems that incentivise ticketing agencies also came under fire, a move welcomed by the Competition and Markets Authority. However, the wheels of government grind slowly, and any changes will take a long time.
Secondary ticket sales are not good for artists or audience
It is not only dynamic pricing that has come under the spotlight. Artists and representatives also claim to be driven mad by the secondary market. At a recent Rhod Gilbert gig in Aberystwyth, the comedian noticed that half of the front row was empty.
He launched a blistering attack on the (insert rude word), who buy up all the tickets and only have to sell one on the secondary market at an inflated price to be in profit. He was incandescent that real fans got to miss out and furious that the front row was empty. It was a particularly poignant comment as the comedian was raising money for the cancer unit in Cardiff, where he had been treated for head and neck cancer in 2022. When he discovered that there were nurses in the audience from another NHS hospital, they were invited to take the empty seats.
Great gig pricing
That was indeed one way to get an upgrade, but most of us need to root around online to get a better offer. The problem for most of us is that if we want to see a particular show or gig, we will probably just pay the price demanded and scrimp and save elsewhere to make up for it. This is definitely the case when our favourite acts are touring. Still, if we are prepared to be a bit more flexible with the entertainment, we can find some excellent promotions and offers.
London calling
If you want to go and see a show in London, for example, you can find wide variation in ticket prices for the same show depending on where you sit, which day of the week you go and what time the show is on. If you are prepared to wait until the last minute, you can use an online booking site like the Official London Theatre and find fabulous bargains. It does mean that you need to be flexible with what you see, but they currently have offers on top-billing shows like Cabaret, The Devil Wears Prada, and Hamilton. There are also offers on shorter running shows, including Bill Bailey’s Thoughtifier at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket.
Not all entertainment involves going out, of course. In fact, for most of us, at-home entertainment is probably the norm (particularly if we have already spent a fortune on tickets for an upcoming gig or festival).
Online entertainment
Online casino gaming is exploding in popularity and does not have to drain your wallet. While it is advisable to set out with a budget and discipline yourself not to spend more than you can afford to lose, this is an area of entertainment offering a wide variety of promotions and offers to get you to play at one website instead of a competitor’s.
Unlike trying to find decent prices for gig tickets, the best casino bonuses for players in the UK are easy to come across if you know where to look. We always advise players to be cautious and check the terms and conditions of any online promotions, as well as to ensure the online casino site is reputable.
If you use a trusted review site like Casino.org, you can rest assured that you will find the best deals, from free spins to no deposit bonuses and deposit matches, so you can get on with the fun of playing your favourite online slots and casino games. Many online casinos now offer live dealer gaming, which provides the best of both worlds, allowing you to go out while staying in. If Lady Luck is on your side, you might even find yourself quids in at the end of the night!
Make the most of free trials
If you like your home entertainment more passive, most streaming companies offer free or cut price introductory offers for their subscription services. You usually need to provide payment details when you sign up. The trick is to set a reminder in your calendar to cancel the subscription before the first payment kicks in – unless, of course, you are enjoying it so much that you want to keep on watching. The same applies to many online gaming platforms and audiobook streaming services.
Digital library services
On the subject of books, you can get the very best online ebook and audiobook services for free if you are a library member. The BorrowBox app allows you to access your library’s entire catalogue for free on iPhone, iPad, Kindle Fire and Android devices. Can there be a better offer than one that costs nothing at all while feeding your imagination?
Spreading the cost
While you probably cannot get a price deal on ticket prices, there are online offers to help you make paying the full price less painful. For example, Ticketmaster teamed up with PayPal to allow fans to pay in stages. While you still have to pay the full price, you can at least spread the pain across a few pay packets rather than take the hit in one or get charged interest on credit card payments.
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