The ballet world is buzzing as fans say goodbye to Misty Copeland. But, scalpers have found a way to hang a small dark cloud on the landmark moment. The dance and activist is hanging up her pointe shoes after an emotional final performance. Copeland took the stage with The American Ballet Theater one last time for their Fall Gala. But, ticket resellers ended up driving the price to get into The Lincoln Center in New York City. How expensive were the seats? Try $4,000 dollars in some cases. That’s an eye-watering amount of money for a lot of fans out there.
Fans knew that Misty Copeland would be having her last performance and made it a point to try and be in the room. CBS News reports that there were hours-long lines to get into The Lincoln Center on Wednesday evening. Multiple people decided to catch the performance in neighboring Alice Tully Hall. There were free tickets on offer at around 4pm. But, those seats were only available on a first-come, first-serve basis. That means if you didn’t have the money or the time to sit around outside, you were out of luck.
Those $4,000 seats were down at the Orchestra level, according to The New York Post. Elsewhere in the Lincoln Center, the first ring was about $1092, with the third ring at $731 dollars, and the fourth ring bringing up the rear at $488. A lot of folks felt like this was a once-in-a-lifetime chance, and might have wanted to be close enough to really feel immersed. For hose who didn’t want to dole out that kind of scratch, there was that livestream next door.
Why did these Misty Copeland tickets cost so much?
Concert tickets of all stripes have seen prices balloon over the last five years. Some of this is due to fan demand. But, a lot more of it has to do with ticket processors and promoters. Remember earlier this year, Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino basically bragged that Ticketmaster was basically undercharging for concerts? File his Misty Copeland hysteria under the same umbrella.
“Music has been underappreciated,” Rapino told the crowd at CNBC’s Game Plan conference. “In sports, I joke it’s like a badge of honor to spend 70 grand for a Knicks courtside [seat]. They beat me up if we charge $800 for Beyoncé.”
“We have a lot of runway left,” he continued. “So when you read about ticket prices going up, the average concert price is still $72. Try going to a Laker game for that, and there’s 80 of them. The concert is underpriced and has been for a long time.”
A ballet legend says goodbye
Despite this nonsense with the tickets, Copeland leaves behind an undeniable legacy. She’s a trailblazer in the world of ballet. And, these massive crowds are just more proof of that fact. She issued a touching statement about her last show and trying to find her footing in the next chapter.
“I could never have imagined the life ballet would give me.” Misty Copeland said in her statement. “To dance on the world’s greatest stages, with artists I admire so deeply, has been one of the greatest gifts of my life.
“My time with ABT has shaped me not just as a dancer, but as a person, and given me the platform to reach back and make space for others,” she continued. “This moment isn’t a farewell, it’s a celebration of everything we’ve built together, and a step toward all the work that’s still ahead.”
Cover Photo: Roku Channel
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
