BBC article

[mattl]

The BBC just put up an article on the "lack" of sales for the festival so far: Linky Link.

Main pointers:

The festival seems to have sold the vast majority of its 87,000 weekend tickets, see tickets has 4,000 weekend tickets left, and a few left at the Hexagon and other retailers. Far less apocalyptic than suggested on most forums.

Melvin Benn seems to be avoiding this issue by not responding to the BBC.

Major reason behind the ticket sales is the recession.

Thoughts?

[harderfaster]

The festival seems to have sold the vast majority of its 87,000 weekend tickets, see tickets has 4,000 weekend tickets left, and a few left at the Hexagon and other retailers. Far less apocalyptic than suggested on most forums.

Edited March 25, 2011 by harderfaster

[The Mean Bean]

"Major reason behind the ticket sales is the recession." you mean as opposed to last year when we were all loaded?

[RichieParf]

"Major reason behind the ticket sales is the recession." you mean as opposed to last year when we were all loaded?

[jisaacs]

As opposed to last year before the government's cuts had really come in and before things like tuition fee rises had been announced.

Edited March 25, 2011 by jisaacs

[JC-Mo'Fucka]

As opposed to last year before the government's cuts had really come in and before things like tuition fee rises had been announced.

[Welshyyy]

I think when it says a few, i don't think it'll mean 10'000, truthfully it wouldn't really be over 4'000 if it was they would of said

'ticketmaster as 10'000 tickets, and a few other retailers have a few left'

There won't be more than 8'000 left.

[jisaacs]

I have been to and enjoyed every leeds since 2001, yet I am not going this year due to the line up.

[RichieParf]

Other festivals have sold out in hours, Its because of the week line up, V Fest has the the pop crowd, as does the Isle of white, Download has the rockers as does sonisphere, Glastonbury has the hippys and the people who want the "glasto" experience, and if you want indie acts go to Bestival etc. R + L line up this year is week a few act I would love to see (elbow, strokes etc) but the line up is not worth £200

[harderfaster]

I think when it says a few, i don't think it'll mean 10'000, truthfully it wouldn't really be over 4'000 if it was they would of said

'ticketmaster as 10'000 tickets, and a few other retailers have a few left'

There won't be more than 8'000 left.

[JAnderson]

Poor ticket sales are nothing but beneficial to the festival in the long run. It'll be the kick up the arse the organisers need because this line-up, and last years, just don't match up or compete with other festivals around.

[Dan R]

Poor ticket sales are nothing but beneficial to the festival in the long run. It'll be the kick up the arse the organisers need because this line-up, and last years, just don't match up or compete with other festivals around.

[lharris92]

Except that download and soni haven't sold out.

[FiestaDave]

Slow sales may give FR a kick up the arse. However if both sites sell out, as I'm sure they will, I doubt they will care.

[Mega Ross]

Ha, recession to blame, we are out of the recession officially and in good financial stead in comparison to previous years as far as personal finance goes. Then again people could be stuffing cash into mattresses waiting for the inevitable Tory destruction of the countrys economy with their retarded monetarist policy.

Everyone knows it is a combination of the distinctly average lineup, let me put it this way, while I like enough bands to go, most of them aren't the kind of bands I would be willing to travel great distance to see on their own, none of the days I think I would buy a day ticket for alone. Wheras previous years there was more bands like that, BIG headliners, stuff you wouldn't normally get to see in the UK or if you did you'd pay out of your ass for it.

And also the rise in ticket prices which is way over and rise in line with inflation and rise in VAT, clear to anyone who can do maths and apparently Melvin doesn't know how to math.

[rachbon]

i'm not sure how much the ticket prices have increased from last year, but they seemed quite expensive this year.

with other festivals already having tickets on sale before R+L, maybe people have just decided to go somewhere else instead. or they're skint. or don't like the line up. there could be loads of reasons why it hasn't sold out yet. tickets haven't even been on sale a week though, it'll probably sell out soon.

[JAnderson]

I thought last years line-up was brilliant! Massive improvement on 09 anyway.

[RichieParf]

This year two of the four headliners are playing lower down on the bill at festivals elsewhere in the UK. A third, The Strokes, are subbing in Ireland at Oxegen. If Festival Republic want to get more casual punters in, i.e. not the people that make a habit of going year after year, they need to get bigger acts that match up to festival elsewhere.

[Yellow_Fellow]

FR need to learn the art of frontloading, they suck at it.

[JAnderson]

The first time Muse headlined Glastonbury they subbed V fest the same year. Different festivals have different demographics, and an act like MCR could easily show that they're being booked too low down by these other festivals.

[RichieParf]

No they didn't, they headlined V as well as Glasto.

[2rare2die]

They were the last band to play but Dido was billed as the headliner.

[2rare2die]

This year two of the four headliners are playing lower down on the bill at festivals elsewhere in the UK. A third, The Strokes, are subbing in Ireland at Oxegen. If Festival Republic want to get more casual punters in, i.e. not the people that make a habit of going year after year, they need to get bigger acts that match up to festival elsewhere.

Edited March 27, 2011 by 2rare2die

[JAnderson]

I still believe that regardless of tastes and whether or not you like the headliners the fact they cannot even get a sub spot at a festival that R/L is in direct competition is detrimental to the marketing of R/L.

[jump]

I still believe that regardless of tastes and whether or not you like the headliners the fact they cannot even get a sub spot at a festival that R/L is in direct competition is detrimental to the marketing of R/L.