“College is the best time of your life” has been uttered by alumni and every parent since (what seems to be) the beginning of time. Yet, the best experiences often require a monetary exchange. With the rising costs of entertainment goods, can college students truly have the best time of their lives?
Entertainment comes at a price. Every purchase is a splurge, every exchange is calculated and many college students hesitate to spend on anything that is not a necessity.
Hardcover book prices have increased 7.7%since 2018. At the same time, average concert ticket prices have gone up by 34%. Video game prices, including consoles, are expected to rise dramatically as a result of President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
The Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium is a hub of entertainment in Athens for both community members and college students. Unfortunately, Ohio University’s largest auditorium has been hit by the price surge.
Andrew Holzaepfel has been the executive director of the OHIO Performing Arts & Concert Series for 14 years. He manages around 65 public performances and about 80 outreach activities a year, most of which take place in MemAud. He has seen the rise of entertainment costs firsthand.
“I've been doing this for about 26 years, and I do agree that the costs have gone up … It was a steady climb over those years, but then our favorite COVID hits and seemed to accelerate everything greatly,” Holzaepfel said.
Inflation surged in the summer of 2021, reaching a record high of 9.1% in June 2022. Holzaepfel suggested the increase in concert prices was a result of supply chain issues, which made acquiring equipment significantly more difficult. Many consumer goods remain at higher prices than before the COVID-19 pandemic, even with inflation rates considered.
“As artists charge more and as our expenses to produce a show go up and up, we have to figure out a ticket pricing model that can cover those expenses,” Holzaepfel said. “So we have probably seen our ticket prices rise since six years ago, for sure. The flip side is we are very sensitive, and we always want to have a very affordable ticket for both our students and the Southeast Ohio Appalachian region.”
To keep entertainment accessible, Holzaepfel and his team look at the situation from an all-encompassing view and consider each show’s role in the overall budget.
“A quartet or a classical group or a dance company, you can't necessarily charge the ticket price that it costs to bring those acts together … a country show might have a positive income, and that might help supplement a visiting artist that we're putting with our School of Music students,” he said. “It's an ecosystem that plays together.”
Lower costs for lesser-known performers also increase awareness and potentially bring new audiences to the venue. Well-known artists typically cost more and require certain ticket prices at their shows.
My Morning Jacket performed at the Memorial Auditorium last night. Tickets near the front averaged $105, while tickets on the balcony went for $55, not including fees. Holzaepfel said the cost disparity is an intentional choice to increase attendance likelihood.
“I always err on having a more expensive first 10 row seats so that I can provide a cheap seat somewhere in the space for a student or community member who might not be able to afford that higher price ticket,” Holzaepfel said.
The annual median income in Athens is $33,524, while the annual cost of living is estimated at around $38,880 for a family and $29,200 for a single person. For the average Athens resident, very little disposable income is left for entertainment and is likely used on more pressing expenses.
Although the exact divide is unclear, a large majority of Athens’ population is a result of college students, many of whom are reluctant or unable to spend their extra cash on entertainment.
Many individuals come from outside of Athens to attend these shows, whether they be nearby community members, visitors or relatives of students.
“I certainly imagine that the prices will always be barriers for people, and that will always hurt my heart, because for us, if we could provide all this for free, we would, but there's expenses no matter what,” Holzaepfel said.
