Louis C.K. Bypasses Ticketmaster, Sells $45 Tickets Through His Website
Louis C.K. made waves (and a bunch of money) last year when he decided to bypass all normal distribution channels and release his newest stand up comedy special on through his website for $5. Now, he’s attempting to bypass the ticketing industry.
For his upcoming tour of America, all tickets will be sold through his website for $45, with no additional fees. He announced the plan on his website.
“By selling tickets exclusively on my site, I’ve cut the ticket charges way down and absorbed them into the ticket price,” he wrote. “Also, you’ll see that if you try to sell the ticket anywhere for anything above the original price, we have the right to cancel your ticket (and refund your money).”
Louis C.K. goes on to say that the $45 charge “will be less than anyone has actually paid to see me (after ticket charges) in about two years and in most cases it’s about half of what you paid last year.” He also praised the venues that agreed to work with him on his experiment.
“Lastly, it was a real challenge to find venues around the country that could work with our exclusive ticketing service under these parameters,” he continued. “It means I’m playing in very new places. I really appreciate all of these theaters that are letting us give this a try.”
The tour is set to kick off October 3 with two shows at Severance Hall in Cleveland and is scheduled to run through February 1 of next year, when the comedian arrives at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Other cities the tour will visit including Minneapolis, St. Louis, Dallas, New York, Chicago and Boston.
Louis C.K. also said the new ticket structure is for the fans.
“…About a year ago I reached a place where I realized I am making enough money doing comedy so the next thing that interested me is bringing your price down. Either way, I still make a whole lot more than my grandfather who taught math and raised chickens in Michigan.”