Bad Bunny once said that there is no problem with playing expensive concert tickets and merchandise, as people will buy them anyway. For instance, seats for his planned stadium tour range from $200 to $600 each. The common apparel he sells includes shirts, hoodies, and hats, and they are usually sold at above $50 per item. Why are people willing to spend hundreds of dollars to see Bad Bunny live or to buy his merchandise when other musicians cost the same amount? Here are some of the reasons which may be attributed to the following:
Due to his status as one of the most successful artists in the industry, people have great expectations when it comes to attending his live concerts. He enjoys the support of a massive and vehement following who is willing to pay premium dollars to watch his much-raved, energetic performances and sing along to chart toppers like ‘Dákiti’ and ‘Yonaguni’. Venues can put ticket prices higher through the roof because they are fully aware that fans will flock to attend the events. Likewise, consumers of Bad Bunny music are eager to purchase accessories that are affiliated with their favorite musician. Going by basic economic laws, it is evident that there is nothing wrong with suppliers demanding high prices when demand is realized to be much higher than supply.
Bad Bunny generally has massive budget shows complete with multiple stages, costume changes, backing dancers, lights, and fireworks. Their shows are grander and require more money to stage than a typical concert from a musician who is not part of a band or group. Instead, such costs are reflected in higher ticket prices for concerts, plays, movies, or sporting events. Furthermore, Bad Bunny allocates more resources to create premium clothing items that employ costlier raw materials such as designer cotton rather than cheaper synthetic blends that some other musicians incorporate. Therefore, the cost of manufacturing each shirt or hoody is comparatively higher.
This is made possible by the fact that Bad Bunny is a popular artist and one of the leading Latin artists of his generation, and therefore can afford to charge premium prices like not all musicians can. Brand-wise, he is far more of a luxury Vs an economy brand. This enhances his cachet as a first-rank celebrity that people would wish to spend on since people derive higher utility from the image, reputation, and cultural capital of the celebrity. This also allows the star to receive more significant financial bonuses compared to previous partnerships.
Some detractors may argue that Bad Bunny and his partners are taking advantage of this popularity and greed is charging prices that are exorbitant to fans who would pay such high prices anyway because of their love for the artist. Though the relationship between artists and their followers can be passionate, there is some substance to allegations of extorting when the same so-called ‘Nosebleed Tickets’ are sold to desperate fans at many times face value. Nevertheless, as long as the demand persists at the existing levels, the organization behind the Bad Bunny business has the motivation and means to pursue profit maximization. Of course, when every single tour sells out as soon as it is announced, it is probably best to carry on in the same way.
Arranging large concert events with quality production is inherently costly in the best of cases, including renting the venue, hiring security and technical services, advertising, as well as paying the performers. Bad Bunny might also be doing this to compensate for the lack of money he was making from doing tours during the covid 19 pandemic where he could not even perform for fans for almost two years. However, touring shows remain expensive events where ticket prices are sometimes astronomically high and usually, it takes months for these shows to generate high revenues enough to cover initial investment. What is not easily seen is more of a financial risk than it might seem.
That said, the levels of fame that Bad Bunny enjoys today enable him to charge such rates, but those same levels are not without unique challenges. The anticipation of presenting even larger and more spectacular performances always exerts pressure on the artist. Touring is also a very demanding process that requires a lot of effort and it is not the kind of job that everybody can handle since it has a great impact on the physical and mental health of the entertainers. And the singer only has, you know, a certain amount of time where he’s at his peak earning power so he can cash it in. Thus, for that matter, if there is unprecedented success, then there are consequences that neither the fans nor critics might want to dream of.
Ultimately, entertainment is qualitatively different from audience, in that its worth is not constant and it is quantified by the amount of happiness that each fan can derive from it. For some people, a $600 ticket that they bought for Bad Bunny is worth it since the amount of happiness and memories that one is going to cherish in the coming years will be enough. It may not be the case for the other listeners who are simply fans of the band or artists or only occasionally listen to their songs or albums. Neither is correct or incorrect – this depends on how sensitive one is to the price. If someone has been heavily investing in Bad Bunny and their market value is distorted, people will not book his concerts immediately. Therefore, although costly, it can be worth the price as it is a once-in-a-million experience.
This just means that Bad Bunny’s live performances and his merchandise are more expensive than other productions for many reasons, including production costs, profit margin, and the influence of fame. To critics, he and his business partners are being extremely selfish in so far as loyal fans are concerned. However, for most devotees, the joy that comes with watching their preferred icon perform is worth the effort and the cash that has been saved or denied. If the willingness to pay by fans remains, then there is no reason why the concept of Bad Bunny economics cannot continue to endure. However, his entertainment empire might also eventually attract the wrath of the mob should prices go up to obscene levels that cannot be afforded by a loyal follower.
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