2008 Woodie Awards
Art Attack ticket sales slow going
Erich Wagner
Issue date: 5/1/08 Section: News
Only 16 percent of tickets available for Art Attack were sold as of Tuesday night, though SEE officials said they are confident they will still reach their goal of 9,000 attendees by Friday's concert.
The 1,605 tickets sold is about half of the number of tickets sold two days before last year's show. However, SEE officials said they are optimistic ticket sales will spike in the last two days before the event and have been increasing their advertising efforts as the concert nears.
This year's Art Attack show, featuring Wyclef Jean, Simple Plan, The Bravery, Cobra Starship and The Spill Canvas, is the first stop on the mtvU Campus Invasion tour. This year is the first that SEE has charged students admission to the annual concert, which they said was the result of the increased production costs of higher-profile acts.
Maggy Baccinelli, the public relations director for SEE, said she doesn't know if the price change has had any impact on ticket sales because the group can't conduct any ticket analysis until the event is over and final ticket sales are tallied.
"It's certainly something we'll evaluate in our event breakdown afterwards," she said.
If the concert undersells substantially, Baccinelli said SEE would have to reconsider their financing for future Art Attack shows.
"We'd have to reevaluate our decision to try to make Art Attack a self-sustaining festival," Baccinelli said.
SEE officials said they have been chalking and flyering the campus to promote the show in recent days. Additionally, mtvU has been spreading the word through TV commercials and ads in the Washington City Paper and online.
Many students said they still haven't decided whether to attend the concert, while others who said they are looking forward to the event admitted they haven't brought themselves to buy tickets yet.
Junior communication and criminology and criminal justice major Charnae Berry said she was excited to see Wyclef, but was still debating attending because of the cost.
"It does resonate that it's $5, especially since we're college students," Berry said. "Put it this way: if it had been free, I'd probably have my ticket by now."
Sophomore pre-nursing and public and community health major Jo Poulard said she would probably attend, but hasn't decided to buy a ticket yet.
"The cost is definitely a factor, because now I have to actually make a decision beforehand to buy a ticket," Poulard said. "Once I buy a ticket, I'm locked into going."
Other students said they did not consider the $5 cost of admission an issue, and had already decided to attend the concert. Most of them had not yet bought tickets, however.
Shannon Jackson, a freshman government and politics and environmental policy major, said he was interested in attending the concert and found the admission cost a small price to pay.
"I haven't bought a ticket yet, but the concerts here are generally pretty cheap," Jackson said.
ewagnerdbk@gmail.com
The 1,605 tickets sold is about half of the number of tickets sold two days before last year's show. However, SEE officials said they are optimistic ticket sales will spike in the last two days before the event and have been increasing their advertising efforts as the concert nears.
This year's Art Attack show, featuring Wyclef Jean, Simple Plan, The Bravery, Cobra Starship and The Spill Canvas, is the first stop on the mtvU Campus Invasion tour. This year is the first that SEE has charged students admission to the annual concert, which they said was the result of the increased production costs of higher-profile acts.
Maggy Baccinelli, the public relations director for SEE, said she doesn't know if the price change has had any impact on ticket sales because the group can't conduct any ticket analysis until the event is over and final ticket sales are tallied.
"It's certainly something we'll evaluate in our event breakdown afterwards," she said.
If the concert undersells substantially, Baccinelli said SEE would have to reconsider their financing for future Art Attack shows.
"We'd have to reevaluate our decision to try to make Art Attack a self-sustaining festival," Baccinelli said.
SEE officials said they have been chalking and flyering the campus to promote the show in recent days. Additionally, mtvU has been spreading the word through TV commercials and ads in the Washington City Paper and online.
Many students said they still haven't decided whether to attend the concert, while others who said they are looking forward to the event admitted they haven't brought themselves to buy tickets yet.
Junior communication and criminology and criminal justice major Charnae Berry said she was excited to see Wyclef, but was still debating attending because of the cost.
"It does resonate that it's $5, especially since we're college students," Berry said. "Put it this way: if it had been free, I'd probably have my ticket by now."
Sophomore pre-nursing and public and community health major Jo Poulard said she would probably attend, but hasn't decided to buy a ticket yet.
"The cost is definitely a factor, because now I have to actually make a decision beforehand to buy a ticket," Poulard said. "Once I buy a ticket, I'm locked into going."
Other students said they did not consider the $5 cost of admission an issue, and had already decided to attend the concert. Most of them had not yet bought tickets, however.
Shannon Jackson, a freshman government and politics and environmental policy major, said he was interested in attending the concert and found the admission cost a small price to pay.
"I haven't bought a ticket yet, but the concerts here are generally pretty cheap," Jackson said.
ewagnerdbk@gmail.com
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Viewing Comments 1 - 7 of 7
HeH
posted 5/01/08 @ 2:29 AM EST
For me, it's not about the cost. It's mainly about who's playing that is deferring me from going to the concert. Just not my cup of tea.
SEE - R - A - P
posted 5/01/08 @ 12:30 PM EST
Maybe if SEE had done more research, ticket sales would be a little better.
Wyclef Jean has already performed on this campus in the last 4 years, for free, and when he was more popular. (Continued…)
Van W.
posted 5/01/08 @ 4:15 PM EST
Yeah. I bought a ticket, but I find it hard to believe that the stadium will fill out. Wyclef Jean is just not a headliner. He's best known as a part of the Fugees (or even from being featured on "Hips Don't Lie") and really isn't relevant as a solo artist. (Continued…)
Anthony
posted 5/01/08 @ 4:36 PM EST
The best Art Attack events occurred were when they played on the mall of the campus because everyone including the community. alumni, and students could attend free of charge. (Continued…)
Former Student
posted 5/01/08 @ 6:02 PM EST
Perhaps if the University did not sell out to MTV it would not be trying to earn a buck from students for the event. The event has become more commercialized each year over the past 10 years. (Continued…)
Kris
posted 5/01/08 @ 6:06 PM EST
The fact that this year's festival is being sponsored by MTV, Burger King, and AT&T demonstrates the degree to which the University of Maryland has sold out and killed the spirit of the event. (Continued…)
Rich
posted 5/02/08 @ 1:04 AM EST
If you are a fan of any of the five bands playing, $5 should not be a big deal since it would cost more than that to see them in any other scenario.
Why would it matter if Wyclef performed over 4 years ago? I am a senior now and I was not here when he performed. (Continued…)
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