2025 U.S. Nationals in Wichita, KS & Skate America returns to Allen, TX in 2024

[Jarrett]

I'm not buying tickets purely because of the fees. 20% is not normal.

You won’t be alone. These fees will have a chilling effect on ticket sales for sure.

 

[peibeck]

I'm not buying tickets purely because of the fees. 20% is not normal.

Yes, I don't understand their whole "standard 20%" jargon. I've recently bought several tickets online for events in different cities and NONE of the service charges were 20% of the face value of the tickets, plus other fees on top.

 

[overedge]

This is BS. There is no reason other than a money grab to charge an "order processing fee" on top of a "service fee". What service is being provided other than processing the order??

I also agree with @peibeck that the percentage for the "service fee" is definitely not in line with the percentages that other venues and ticket agencies charge for similar purchases.

 

[nylynnr]

If you are buying mid-range or cheaper tickets, could you wait until you arrive in Wichita and buy at the box office to save fees? I've done that at many events. In fact, I'm doing that this weekend at the gym event in Hartford.

 

[tony]

Serious question for those talking about fees and taxes- have you attended anything else via Ticketmaster or a ticketing company in the last few years besides skating events? If so, what were the fees in comparison?

I'm pretty used to tax/service charges being a good 20+% addition to the face price of the ticket itself as of late, and I've been to Beyonce, Lady Gaga, the RPDR shows, etc.

ETA - just tested this out with Bad Bunny tickets since he's here next week. Put two pretty bad seats in the cart, totalling $303.90. After tax, service charge, facility charge, and order processing fee, the tickets are $400.83.

Definitely not a BS skating thing..

 

[nylynnr]

I'm pretty used to tax/service charges being a good 20+% addition to the face price of the ticket itself as of late, and I've been to Beyonce, Lady Gaga, the RPDR shows, etc.

I encounter fees of this size as well. That's why I purchase theatre tickets in person and every year go to Flushing Meadows and purchase U.S. Open tickets in person. Fees are terrible these days.

 

[Debbie S]

Serious question for those talking about fees and taxes- have you attended anything else via Ticketmaster or a ticketing company in the last few years besides skating events? If so, what were the fees in comparison?

I'm pretty used to tax/service charges being a good 20+% addition to the face price of the ticket itself as of late, and I've been to Beyonce, Lady Gaga, the RPDR shows, etc.

ETA - just tested this out with Bad Bunny tickets since he's here next week. Put two pretty bad seats in the cart, totalling $303.90. After tax, service charge, facility charge, and order processing fee, the tickets are $400.83.

Definitely not a BS skating thing..

So the service fees were about $50 per ticket? The service fee on my Nats ticket was $96.

The thing is, most 'package' ticket purchases don't have fees. My season subscriber theater tickets for next season (order process handled by Ticketmaster) were about $600 per person, maybe a few dollars for a processing fee, I would have to look that up. If you don't subscribe and instead buy individual tickets for particular shows when they go on sale, then the normal fees get added to those. In previous years, I don't recall most all-event Nats tix having service fees, only smaller fees per order for processing and mailing (when tix were mailed). Fees of this size on packages that are already in the $500 range have not been the norm.

 

[tony]

The thing is, most 'package' ticket purchases don't have fees. My season subscriber theater tickets for next season (order process handled by Ticketmaster) were about $600 per person, maybe a few dollars for a processing fee, I would have to look that up. If you don't subscribe and instead buy individual tickets for particular shows when they go on sale, then the normal fees get added to those. In previous years, I don't recall most all-event Nats tix having service fees, only smaller fees per order for processing and mailing (when tix were mailed). Fees of this size on packages that are already in the $500 range have not been the norm.

I guess this depends, because there are tickets for concerts that at face value sell for at least this price or even upwards of double the price-- easily. The tickets in the 100s sections for Bad Bunny are $601.95/each face value pre-any kind of extra charges, and this is for one two or three hour concert. And in this case, the price of two tickets jumps from $1203.90 to $1393.03. I don't even want to look at what A Night with Adele would cost, and that's constantly sold out. Taylor Swift is completely sold out here, too.

To clarify, I know it's not a 'package' but it's a ticket worth more than said $500 package, and it doesn't avoid fees.

 

[Spikefan]

Recent concert purchases all at different venues through AXS and Live Nation:
$70 ticket $24 service fees (34%)
$89 ticket $22 service fees (25%)
$119 ticket $28 service fee (24%)

I do expect 20-35% anymore. I think the more expensive tickets is what makes it so shocking for most. My $183 ticket had a $63 fee-when I add everything up (34%), which is similar to my first concert ticket above. If you were to buy 2 $1000 tickets the fee is $642 (32%). Which is shocking, even if the percentage is less than mine.

Something really should be done in congress regarding fees. It should not be a percentage of the price as the website didn’t do additional work to justify $600 vs my $63. It should just be a flat fee per ticket or per order. Of course I doubt that will ever happen.

 

[once_upon]

@tony I looked at College World Series full session tickets too. Processing fees were also sky high. Ticket Master and other ticketing aagencies have sky high fees. I can go the day of a game and stand (yep stand) in the sun (no shade in that part of the field) for no fee tickets bought at the gate.

 

[Debbie S]

To clarify, I know it's not a 'package'

Well, yes, that's the difference. When it comes to packages of multiple tickets/events, one of the selling points to get people to plunk down big money far in advance is that the package is cheaper than buying each ticket individually, and the ind tix fees are part of that. (And there is the access to practices, better seats, etc)

When I've ordered all-event Nats tix in the past, I haven't had to pay the usual Ticketmaster-level fees. In some cases, the tickets were handled entirely by the LOC, in others I guess the local arena made them a deal or fees were built into the ticket prices. But the tix for Wichita aren't much cheaper than recent Nats. I think the key issue here is expectations based on previous Nats purchases.

 

[Jammers]

Fees are just a way to get more money out of you and they know you can't do anything about it. Try ordering from one of these online food delivery companies you can order a 10$ sandwich and after all of the service fees you've spent over 20$. And you know what instead of just making a sandwich yourself which would be cheaper you still order it because you are lazy.

 

[Karen-W]

Fees are just a way to get more money out of you and they know you can't do anything about it. Try ordering from one of these online food delivery companies you can order a 10$ sandwich and after all of the service fees you've spent over 20$. And you know what instead of just making a sandwich yourself which would be cheaper you still order it because you are lazy.

This is me at least once a week. Though my go-to pizza place just doubled their delivery fee and I'm probably going to start ordering pizza from other places I like better if I'm going to wind up paying that much for pizza!

 

[Jarrett]

Yes, I don't understand their whole "standard 20%" jargon. I've recently bought several tickets online for events in different cities and NONE of the service charges were 20% of the face value of the tickets, plus other fees on top.

Serious question for those talking about fees and taxes- have you attended anything else via Ticketmaster or a ticketing company in the last few years besides skating events? If so, what were the fees in comparison?

I'm pretty used to tax/service charges being a good 20+% addition to the face price of the ticket itself as of late, and I've been to Beyonce, Lady Gaga, the RPDR shows, etc.

ETA - just tested this out with Bad Bunny tickets since he's here next week. Put two pretty bad seats in the cart, totalling $303.90. After tax, service charge, facility charge, and order processing fee, the tickets are $400.83.

Definitely not a BS skating thing..

I bought tickets to Sarah McLachlan for this summer and the fee was $4 per ticket. This didn't change with the level of the ticket.

 

[Sylvia]

Brian Boitano made a trip to Wichita - his video: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7CdJI2PHmc/

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

And made the media rounds there:

Brian Boitano on Instagram: "What a week. Excited to be back in January for the #2025USChamps. Tickets are on sale now."

66 likes, 1 comments - brianboitano on May 17, 2024: "What a week. Excited to be back in January for the #2025USChamps. Tickets are on sale now.".

www.instagram.com

 

[Sylvia]

Local coverage of Boitano's visit to promote ticket sales:

Olympic star in Wichita as championship tickets go on sale (May 16): https://www.ksn.com/news/local/olympic-star-in-wichita-as-championship-tickets-go-on-sale/

He said another reason to buy tickets is for the in-person experience.
“The thing that you miss on TV is the speed, the power, the sound of the edges, the height in the jumps. It’s just so exciting in person,” Boitano said. “I don’t think people realize, but we travel across the ice, you know, at 15, 20 mph, and then fling ourselves in the air to jumps, so it’s pretty amazing in person.”

Related video (KSN News): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRaWrOxHaDI

JJ On Demand – Olympic Great Brian Boitano

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Not gonna lie, I might have “fan-boyed” a little. The funny thing is, I can’t skate. Roller, inline, ice…forget it. I’m just not built that way. That said, Brian

www.kfdi.com

9-minute video that's embedded in the article (May 17) - "JJ welcomed Olympic great Brian Boitano to the studio to talk skating, food, south park, the U.S. Figure Skating Championships coming to Wichita and more": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6xLt5060sQ

J.J. Hayes had chatted with Jason Brown back in April:

"Jason Brown stopped by the [KFDI FM] studio to talk about his figure skating life and the big news for Wichita, the U.S. Figure Skating Championships coming in January" with JJ Hayes (5 mins.): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0LjPfdc8iI

JJ on Demand: Olympian and U.S. Figure Skating Champion Jason Brown

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter I love this story because it’s such a huge boost for the Wichita economy. The Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships are coming to Wichita in January of 2025.

www.kfdi.com

JJ: "If I'm going to get out there in a unicorn outfit next year you are going to a karaoke bar [Jason: "Deal!"]... It's going to be a really amazing time. My wife was super excited about it when she heard about this yesterday!"

 

[peibeck]

Serious question for those talking about fees and taxes- have you attended anything else via Ticketmaster or a ticketing company in the last few years besides skating events? If so, what were the fees in comparison?

I'm pretty used to tax/service charges being a good 20+% addition to the face price of the ticket itself as of late, and I've been to Beyonce, Lady Gaga, the RPDR shows, etc.

ETA - just tested this out with Bad Bunny tickets since he's here next week. Put two pretty bad seats in the cart, totalling $303.90. After tax, service charge, facility charge, and order processing fee, the tickets are $400.83.

Definitely not a BS skating thing..

I just traveled to Indianapolis to see Kathy Griffin's first comedy tour in 6 years and last week went to Chicago to see the Broadway tryout of "Death Becomes Her." The Ticketmaster fees were a little above 10% for both those events in different cities. I'm seeing Wanda Sykes in June in STL. Not Ticketmaster, but those fees weren't 20% either.

 

[acraven]

When I've ordered all-event Nats tix in the past, I haven't had to pay the usual Ticketmaster-level fees. In some cases, the tickets were handled entirely by the LOC, in others I guess the local arena made them a deal or fees were built into the ticket prices. But the tix for Wichita aren't much cheaper than recent Nats. I think the key issue here is expectations based on previous Nats purchases.

I've bought all-event tickets to Nationals almost every year since 1980. Historically, visible fees have usually been reasonable, and I think a big part of that may have been order processing by the LOC or by arena staff rather than a high-cost ticket agency. I remember being appalled by the service charge for Omaha Nationals, which I think was around $80. Omaha used TicketMaster or some other commercial agency. Most if not all Nationals since then have had much more reasonable (visible) ticketing fees.

I believe TicketMaster's fees have risen a lot in recent years, but it sounds as if there may be some variation from event to event. Perhaps fees can be negotiated as part of the contract. Maybe that's why fees have been lower in Boston and I think also in San Jose and Greensboro.

 

[sk8nlizard]

Speaking of fees, I just signed my daughter up for a camp and was charged a $20 processing fee. I’ve never encountered that in any camp my kids have done! It was only about 5% of the cost of the camp, but I was shocked to see it pop up on the payment page.

 

[once_upon]

Arenas are often driven by an overall governing board in a city. So a ball stadium, arena, performing arts theater and any other event location the local governing boards are involved. Staffing to run those places is limited, generally temporary to the physical location and dates.

Ticket Master is ruthless in negotiations with smaller markets. They demand a larger % of processing fees, restrictions to purchase. Also affected by the legal scalpers who snap up tickets for resale.

When you have larger markets with more competition, like the ever so popular noted Boston organizations, the more slashing of % per ticket. Which makes you happy.

USFS like local Arenas does not have control of TickrtMaster. Ticketmaster has near monopoly on sales - take it up with the government both local and national.

In the meantime witch about it because that helps. That helps loads. Maybe if FS could fill the huge Arenas for the 10 days of Championships, the processing fees charged by Ticketmaster could be lower because larger venues can be used. But USFS and FS can't. Only you can decide if you want to go, only you can decide to "risk losing your preferred seat" by getting tickets at the physical location when box office tickets are available

Got an issue with fees? TicketMaster, state laws regarding fees are the real issues.

 

[Debbie S]

Arenas are often driven by an overall governing board in a city. So a ball stadium, arena, performing arts theater and any other event location the local governing boards are involved. Staffing to run those places is limited, generally temporary to the physical location and dates.

Ticket Master is ruthless in negotiations with smaller markets. They demand a larger % of processing fees, restrictions to purchase. Also affected by the legal scalpers who snap up tickets for resale.

When you have larger markets with more competition, like the ever so popular noted Boston organizations, the more slashing of % per ticket. Which makes you happy.

USFS like local Arenas does not have control of TickrtMaster. Ticketmaster has near monopoly on sales - take it up with the government both local and national.

In the meantime witch about it because that helps. That helps loads. Maybe if FS could fill the huge Arenas for the 10 days of Championships, the processing fees charged by Ticketmaster could be lower because larger venues can be used. But USFS and FS can't. Only you can decide if you want to go, only you can decide to "risk losing your preferred seat" by getting tickets at the physical location when box office tickets are available

Got an issue with fees? TicketMaster, state laws regarding fees are the real issues.

The ticket sales for next year's Nats are not being handled by Ticketmaster. It's some other co that seems to handle all the events at this particular arena.

 

[once_upon]

And I imagine the exclusive contract for that arena to sell thr tickets I'm that arena.

Just like catering contracts.

If I choose to go I certainly, it will be incognito.

Which you know is a shame, since it's rare that travel, hotel rooms, transportation happens to be close to me. But ok, that's my fricking choice.

 

[acraven]

Greensboro isn't a major market, and I don't remember exorbitant fees for the years we were there. I`m traveling now and can't check my files to verify that.

I do wish something could be done about the TicketMaster fee situation.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I just traveled to Indianapolis to see Kathy Griffin's first comedy tour in 6 years and last week went to Chicago to see the Broadway tryout of "Death Becomes Her." The Ticketmaster fees were a little above 10% for both those events in different cities. I'm seeing Wanda Sykes in June in STL. Not Ticketmaster, but those fees weren't 20% either.

Kathy and Wanda? Two of my absolute favorites? Let’s go together

 

[MacMadame]

If I choose to go I certainly, it will be incognito.

Seriously? Plenty of people have already reported they bought tickets. No one has stoned them. Why would we?

These fees are much higher than they have been in the past and talking about it on a skating board in a thread about the event is perfectly reasonable. If you don't want to read about it, just scroll on by.

 

[clairecloutier]

I do wish something could be done about the TicketMaster fee situation.

There has actually been some political activity around this recently, although I don't know if it leads to lower fees or just more transparency upfront. The Biden administration asked Congress to do something about ticket fees in Feb, and it seems like a bill is now on the verge of being passed in Congress.

Biden Calls for Limits on Ticket Fees for Concerts and Sporting Events (Published 2023)

The president made the proposal at a meeting of his competition council, roughly a week after lawmakers scrutinized Ticketmaster.

www.nytimes.com

A divided Congress agrees: Buying concert tickets is frustrating and needs to be fixed.

www.morningstar.com

 

[Lizziebeth]

If you are buying mid-range or cheaper tickets, could you wait until you arrive in Wichita and buy at the box office to save fees? I've done that at many events. In fact, I'm doing that this weekend at the gym event in Hartford.

Due to family circumstances I can't be absolutely sure I can go so I will not be investing in expensive tickets this far in advance. The last two nationals I attended were at Omaha and Kansas City and I bought tickets at the box office for both of them. It worked out OK - I got decent seats for all of the events and I did have different seats for some of the events. I do not prefer sitting right at ice level so I am OK with winging it. I certainly hope they will sell tickets at the box office!

 

[once_upon]

You can also monitor ticket availability as it gets closer and call the box office to see what's available

 

[Debbie S]

Greensboro isn't a major market, and I don't remember exorbitant fees for the years we were there. I`m traveling now and can't check my files to verify that.

With Greensboro, we ordered directly from the LOC. Sales weren't online, we had to email the form (but could request specific section/row/seats, although no guarantee obviously) and I think there was a small fee per order for mailing. But nothing more than that.

 

[rfisher]

I thought when I retired, I'd go to a Nationals or SA event if there were skaters I really wanted to see live, but once again after reading the thread for such events, I have no desire to spend the kind of $$$$ involved (and $$$$$ for worlds or the Olympics) when I can watch at home with better seats, food and bathrooms. I thank you all again for steering me in the right direction.