Many fans will need a miracle to say “fare thee well” to the Grateful Dead this summer.
Deadheads that didn’t score in the band’s mail order system or in Saturday's Ticketmaster release will likely have to resort to resale sites like StubHub, which could prove costly.
So costly, one seller on StubHub has asked for $116,000 for one 3-day pass, thousands of dollars above face value. The lowest listing for the Fourth of July weekend passes on StubHub as of Monday was $1,281.25 for one seat behind the stage.
"Demand is what is expected for the opportunity to getting legendary musicians together for one last weekend of music," said StubHub spokesman Mike Pingel.
The weekend’s Ticketmaster release saw 3-day passes and single-day tickets sell out in moments—news that was hard for many fans to handle. Several followers complained that Ticketmaster’s site crashed at the start of the sale, which the band later acknowledged in a post on their website.
“This morning you broke Ticketmaster’s on-sale record when nearly half a million of you queued up to buy tickets online,” the post read. “If you do not have tickets, please know that we are working on various ways to help everyone experience these shows in a way that will help you share this special moment with us. Stay tuned, and thank you for showing your love, we feel it!”
The Ticketmaster madness comes after more than 60,000 fans sent in mail order requests, prompting the band to delay the public sale and cancel a pre-sale event.
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Single-day ticket prices on Ticketmaster ranged from $59.50-$199.50, plus Ticketmaster fees, while 3-day passes ranged from $169.50 to $589.50.
A general admission pit directly in front of the stage was reserved for mail order ticketholders while a second general admission floor section behind the pit and reserved seating throughout the stadium were made available during the public sale.
On StubHub, single-day tickets were offered for as low as $587.50 with parking passes alone offered for more than $180.
"Prices do tend to fall as we get closer to the event so something to keep your eye on and keep checking back on StubHub to see if the market will come down a little bit," Pingel said.