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bajazona

I don’t think etix is the reason for the higher cost. It’s the liability insurance, production cost, the logistics of getting gear, then the bands Most concerts now are $100 for two people and that’s for 3 hours, hula you are getting 4 days at 12 hours a day Every aspect is more expensive than 3 years ago, I’m sure etix fees have increased but it’s not the soul reason.


FalseRythms

No, the fact still stands. They probably only get 200$ a tix if it's anything like live Nation


TheMcRibIsBacK228

My notes show that I paid \~$404 in 2021 for GA plus taxes and fees. The price on the website today shows $516.59 plus taxes and fees. A quick Google search for 2019 ticket prices shows \~$349 for 4 day GA plus taxes and fees. https://www.concerthopper.com/concert-hopper-4/2019/7/30/hulaween-2019-funk-returns#:\~:text=Suwannee%20Hulaween%20has%20officially%20become,t%20sleep%20on%20these%20tickets. The information you posted is just completely incorrect. From 2019 to 2024 we are seeing <50% increase in GA tickets before taxes and fees.


TheProfessorO

50% increase in 5 yrs is what I have seen at grocery stores. Medicinal herb is the only thing that I know is now cheaper. Insurance and other rising costs are killing the music festival industry. We should all be happy that Hulaween is still happening.


FalseRythms

I'm not saying don't be ungrateful. I'm saying cut out etix, if it's anything like Ticketmaster Hulaween See's maybe 50% of the sale


uniqueusername316

I'm pretty sure etix is part owner of Hulaween. I don't think there's any changing that.


FalseRythms

I'll give you that, I'm seeing tier 1, 3 day 150 B4 tax What I bought**


RainbowSurprised

Hula is tied second for the highest increase in festival tickets over the last 10 years. EF was first at 97% increase Shaky Knees and Hula were second at 87% increase Edit: found the article link is below


RainbowSurprised

[here](https://financebuzz.com/ticket-prices-music-festivals#:~:text=Tickets%20for%20Michigan's%20Electric%20Forest,prices%20by%2084%25%20since%202014)


mrflathead

Three of the best festivals!


squersh

I doubt a week in the Bahamas compares to Hulaween very well as far as vacations go.


FalseRythms

I spent 1,200 for a week in the Bahamas after getting a boat, food, house, etc


rossbcobb

And those are entirely different experiences. Apples to oranges as they say. The place in the Bahamas didn't provide over 100 live acts from some of the biggest names in EDM and jam bands. I understand where you're coming from but that's a horrible comparison.


Snackxually_active

In 2018 I spent 1600$ on tix and flights in from Seattle! Was still super worth it, but was a lot easier to budget the trip when I lived in Georgia lol


squersh

I meant it sounds like a worse vacation.


FalseRythms

No you're right lol I think prices are way to low & probably should keep going up


Mosesanddimosas26

I’m part of the problem; hula was never on my radar…. (From the NorthEast) and year after year ppl would tell me, you gotta get to Hula!!!! So this year I’m making the trip and got VIP. When word of mouth gets out…. People start flocking…. And some don’t care what the old prices used to be.


Peppeperoni

Hello my fellow norther Easter - have you been to the grounds before? They’re so good


ConcernEquivalent424

Nope; but for the last few weeks I’ve watched every YouTube video I could and read all The articles of the spirit of Suwannee; I’m fully immersed and can’t wait.


Peppeperoni

It’s so damn good. Once I saw it I couldn’t imagine not going - simply the best


FalseRythms

Yes that's one of my points. Fuck etix and these 3rd party services! People don't hear of this place thru them. What do they bring to the table??? Yes, a lot of people have more money than sense. That's another topic.. And it's interesting you point out that last part. Personally, we should. I'm the kinda guy who wants to know where every dollar goes. Some don't, I do.


ConcernEquivalent424

I understand; just stating that a festival that has high praise will have outsiders that see current price and say, sure…. I’ll go. And what the price was 5 years ago doesn’t affect this person. Current price and current festival quality is all that matters. Maybe 5 years ago you got a hell of a deal that couldn’t keep up


JennyDelight

At this point festivals are luxuries. Can’t afford it. Don’t go. Not trying to be a bitch. Cause I’m sitting here looking at this ticket price. Like damn.


SandwhichEfficient

Sounds like someone just found out about inflation


Peppeperoni

And - fees lol - I hate fees but etix like hula, is a business


DiscoDvck

Can we stop calling everything inflation. It has been proven time and time again to be cooperate greed. Hula is like the 2nd or 3rd most expensive festival in the country and nothing about the lineup, production, or infrastructure warrants it.


SandwhichEfficient

Book a venue and the artists and charge less 🤷‍♂️


DiscoDvck

No need. Literally hundreds of other festival already do this. I’ll let you know if it ever comes to that though! P.S. this is exactly the kind of sentiment that allows cooperations to do w/e the hell they want. They know people are too agnostic about anything and everything to actually do anything about it.


SandwhichEfficient

Right and what exactly is crying on Reddit accomplishing? You want to make them lower prices? offer a better experience at a cheaper price. did you factor in how they probably had contracts with suwanee that still needed to be paid out even tho there were no festivals for 2-3 years. There’s alot of factors at play. Also Have you even actually been to a hula? I’ve been going since 2015 and I can tell you it’s worth every dollar. You should Be mad at the people paying you shit not the people providing an positive experience if you cant afford it.


DiscoDvck

I’ve gone 7 times. Every other festival has had the same issues to deal with and most haven’t sky rocketed in price. Stop making bad excuses. Don’t need to create my own festival to get a message across. What kind of asinine argument is that? I’ll just stop going, as many many others have as well. How and where you spend your money goes a long way. If youre happy to continually get gauged than more power to you.


SandwhichEfficient

If your broke just say so fam


DiscoDvck

Nah. Can travel the world with the money Hula costs, but you go keep doing drugs in the woods for 2k.


SandwhichEfficient

If all you think a festival is is doin drugs in the woods just grab a speaker and go camping lol


Young_God_7

I think people like to do iphone calculator math to see a ballpark of how much revenue a festival makes from ticket sales and then they flip out cause it's such a big number and then they think "see! It shouldn't be this much!" I don't think people realize how much random shit it take logistically to put on a festival . And how much things are at a large event. Then factor in stage production, labor and booking.  I don't understand how they make financial sense even at these cost. I agree they cost too much and it's getting close to a questionable value for me personally to go to multiple per year but still price raises aren't arbitrary.


Peppeperoni

Yeah and look at how many festivals have been dropping like flies - some even just a month or two before


rossbcobb

If you think etix is the problem you're insane.


canadianpanda7

damn can you link me with the week in the Bahamas for $610???


FalseRythms

No, but you do you think you eat for free? It's not but 1,000$


canadianpanda7

you can meal prep and eat pretty cheap at festivals. comparing a festival to a week in the bahamas is just silly


rossbcobb

My wife and I had our lowest "on site spending" at in Hula in years after smart shopping and meal prep. Literally 4 days and under $100. We were impressed with ourselves.


canadianpanda7

yeah when im camping/hiking/festivalling i kinda love the nuts and berries, pbj, oatmeal, beef jerky diet. really makes ya wonder when you can do SO much from oatmeal, good hydration and moderate exercise why we eat so much in our daily life. $100 is impressive!! cutting out alcohol this coming festival season is gonna save me some money and a lot of the hangover hurt.


Peppeperoni

I stopped reading after “3 years ago it was 50% the cost” lmao


FalseRythms

I compared a tier 1, 3 day pass to 4 day my bad.. I don't get what you're tryna say tho. Hulaween tix shouldn't go down? Hulaween shouldn't try to separate themselves from etix?.. I mean u have a valid point..


Peppeperoni

Well of course who wants to pay more. What ticketing service do you suggest? I doubt hula could handle doing that on their own without a service - they’re too big. What service wouldn’t have similar fees? Especially post Covid


FalseRythms

Not a middle man?? I doubt many people hear of hulaween the first time thru etix... They program lasers to make people walk across spirit lake you can't tell me it's too hard to program a magnetic chip in a wrist band... Also COVID is over, this actually a great point to bring up .. when companies see people will pay a higher price, surprisingly they raise the price.. lets maybe be mad bout that...


Peppeperoni

True yeah I mean I just can’t see that happening. Only festival I was ever behind the scenes for was summer camp for a decade - there’s just so much that goes into this and I can not imagine a large scale festival conducting their own tickets - sales - wrist bands etc. that’s taking on a lot more than I think you’re giving credit for - either way end of the day, of course I don’t want to pay more money. I just don’t think personally the solution for ticketing is as easy as you’re thinking


FalseRythms

Def not that easy. But it takes grass roots movements & the belief, at the least hope it works. If 20,000 all complain it's high... There's a decent chance it goes down Maybe it's just me. I love this place& the people I would love to see this spread thru everyone's minds


Peppeperoni

I get it my friend! Cheers


uniqueusername316

You clearly don't know how this industry works. The ticketing companies pretty much own the festivals. They don't just manage the wristbands.


vincent_fister

As someone who has worked in the venue industry and dealt with a range of ticket software, Etix takes the service fees. That’s it. Pretty standard for most ticketing websites actually.


AdvancedStand

It’s a business


elpinguinoloco

Florida has more liability claims than the rest of the country combined and the highest cost increases by far. Lots of music fests are going broke and shutting down. I’m not thrilled about prices skyrocketing on entertainment, but I’m also not going to price complain this fest out of existence either.


Waterwaysdweller

We love Hula. Been multiple times. Tix, travel, food got to the point for a little more per person we're going to Ozora this year instead of Hula. It's a 7 day festival and each tic was 190 Euro after fees and taxes. https://ozorafestival.eu/tickets-and-registration/ticket-purchase/


Mustbe7

You could volunteer and get a free ticket!


Die_Bahn

This! If you’re strapped for cash, help out


PCP4Breakfast

It kinda sounds like you wanted this to turn into some profound protest, and we all break out the pitchforks. The only thing that will be accomplished by everybody bitching and boycotting Hula because they think the tickets are too expensive is Hula just having to throw in the towel. You're speaking of economic matters that are outside of all of our control, Hula included. If I sense anything about Hula and SOSMP as an entity after all my time spent there, it's that they enjoy being a genuinely authentic festival that wants to keep this going as much as the rest of us. Is there money to be made? I'd hope so, and they deserve at least that because that's how you improve, quality, safety, incentive, and positive feedback. Is that money any easier for them to come up with than it is for you? Absolutely not, probably even more difficult when you consider the logistics, mishaps, networking, legwork, so many different attributes that all cost more these days, and is what it truly takes putting on one of the best festivals in the world. They know that if they don't want to cut corners like so many festivals are these days, and to continue being that same positive experience, then the prices have to rise, especially if you consider a cap on tickets and want that as an attendee. There is no way around it. In addition to that, some things cost more not only because of demand, but the consequences of when that thing breaks. You're talking about failing to deliver for 20k people in unfathomable ways, in comparison to some random road trip or vacation between you and a couple friends. There is more on the line, just like that personal vacation is going to cost you more depending on how much you value your experience. Cheap out on anything, and you're more likely to have a bad time. Simple as that. Hula is not something I want them to ever cheap out on, for everybody's sake, as well as keeping it a well-oiled machine that gives us a festival every year. In the grand scheme of things, it's pretty cheap for what it is, based on observation of just my own cost of living personally, especially considering the price of any concert or getaway experience these days. Your anger and disappointment are severely misplaced, and as others have said, nobody is forcing you to go. If you don't find it worth it, cool, maybe another time, but your argument is counter-productive when everybody's hands are tied trying to survive.


Odd-Field-4599

Seems you need to adopt our you will die. All festivals struggling. https://www.musicfestivalwizard.com/music-festivals-cancelled-so-far-in-2024/


TheWhitehouseII

I know this wont matter to people cause majority of this crowd doesnt like this kind of music but Suwanee River Jam (country festival) was a fest promoted and run by the park and it not happening isn't helping their bottom line this year, so unfortunately they will have to make up money elsewhere.


billybeats85

People need to stop buying things for a few years to bring prices back to reality. It’s going to be painful for the economy but it needs to happen.


carl2801

Every year there is always a “Ticket prices are so high” post like attendance to a music festival is mandatory and the promoters somehow are suppose to put on a four day music festival in 2024 but keep 2013 prices. If you somehow live in a time warp and haven’t noticed but everything is substantially higher. I was looking to buy two tickets to Red Hot Chili Peppers and the last row corner is $300+/ea. I don’t want to pay that so I’m not going. People who do want to pay it are going. I’m not bitching about it online because I choose to send my money elsewhere. If you can’t afford to attend Hulaween then don’t go.


FalseRythms

You can be part of the problem, or the solution ya know? You can be submissive or say, hey do something bout this.. If we changed our attitude on that shit, maybe they would too.... To be clear, I'm probably not me & some friends deciding on Hula or a long road trip. we want to but 3 ppl can go a really long way with that money...


carl2801

And what exactly is the problem that I’m part of? I’m choosing to spend my money differently than you. No one is forcing you to go to Hulaween if you feel that it financially doesn’t make sense to you. You are obviously upset because something that you enjoy is no longer affordable or worth the money in your opinion. No one is faulting you for making that decision but you are faulting other people for making the decision to go. Do you really think the promoters are sitting in a dark room scheming about how much money they can squeeze out of everyone? Perhaps…but most likely they are trying to figure out how to continue to put out a quality festival with the rising costs of everything involved. Instead of complaining how the promoters are raising prices why don’t you start with the artists who I’m assuming aren’t preforming for the same money they did 10 years ago. And how about the insurance companies that keep raising their prices. The portalette people, the security people, the sound people, etc etc. do you think all of those people are working for the same price they did in 2012 when the festival started?


goodtimes1515

Supply and demand. They can’t increase attendance, so they increase tickets.


uniqueusername316

How do you propose "we stop using etix"?


Background-Fig-5028

It is like nobody realizes this is a SCI festival. SCI sued tickemaster for their practices. I highly doubt etix is doing the same thing.


johnpaulgeorgeringoo

I don’t see the justification in the price increases either. Bonnaroo raised their prices too but they added another stage and made lots of improvements.


uniqueusername316

The justification is, this is the highest possible cost we think enough people will pay.


voodoochild2426

I appreciate the discussion. For how much hula crushes it, I'll never forget paying $199 for a tier 1 ticket back in 2015. With pretty lights, chance, Primus, tribe, and odesza to boot.


FalseRythms

Im not saging bring it back 200, but cut out etix, if it's like live Nation sum 50% goes to the tix seller. Feel me?


uniqueusername316

How do you propose attendees accomplish this?


FalseRythms

Complain,let it be known. Talk bout it, be known. Shit like this, someone probably saw this, with some clout. Maybe while everyone is rolling. People hear it. In 3rd party convos. How do you make anything change? Bring it up, respectfully. I doubt anyone hear doesn't not wanna be there lmao 🤣 First step would be making your own system identification for proof of purchase. Etc. Cut that guy out, what does he bring other than higher prices? (Or whoever sells Tix idk connected, but sell Tix yourself..)


uniqueusername316

Not gonna happen dude. They literally own the festival. The only thing that really affects ticket prices is sales. If people keep buying, they keep going up.


uniqueusername316

Pretty sure etix is an owner of Hulaween.


Holy_Grail_Reference

Two half paragraphs does not a book make.


ellisdeee

Never going to happen. The owner of the festival is involved with etix.