Veterans and active duty military personnel often receive discounts on various products and services as a way for companies to show appreciation for their service. When it comes to concert tickets specifically, policies can vary between venues, promoters, and artists. There is no universal rule that guarantees discounted concert tickets for veterans.
Do venues or promoters offer veterans discounts on tickets?
Some major concert venues and promoters do offer special discounts or programs for veterans and active duty military members. Here are some examples:
- Live Nation, one of the largest concert promotion companies, offers veterans and active duty military 50% off select tickets to participating Live Nation concerts. The offer is limited to two tickets per event.
- AEG Presents, another major promoter, provides veterans and active duty military with 20% off tickets at participating venues and shows when tickets are purchased at the box office.
- The Kennedy Center in Washington DC offers 50% off tickets for veterans and active duty military members up to four times per year.
- Some individual venues like the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville also have discounts like 20% off for veterans.
So in summary, some concert venues and promoters do extend discounts to veterans and military members as a show of appreciation for their service. However, these discounts are typically limited in some way, such as being restricted to certain shows, needing to purchase directly from the box office, or capping the number of discounted tickets that can be purchased.
Do specific artists or bands offer veterans discounts?
In addition to venue and promoter discounts, some individual artists and bands offer special discounted tickets to their concerts for veterans and military personnel. However, again this varies widely between different acts. Some examples of artists/bands that have offered veteran ticket discounts include:
- Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville – offers complimentary tickets to veterans and active military at select shows.
- Disney on Ice – 50% off tickets for veterans for select shows.
- Elton John – discounted tickets for veterans available for select Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour dates.
- Metallica – has offered complimentary tickets to veterans at various shows through their Metallica for All program.
- Trans-Siberian Orchestra – 50% off tickets for active and veteran military personnel at their winter holiday shows.
So again, while some acts do try to give back by offering veteran and military discounts, it is typically limited to certain tour dates and availability can be limited. There is no guarantee that discounts will be offered for veterans at any given concert.
Are discounts available through third-party ticket resellers?
Third-party ticket resellers like StubHub or VividSeats generally do not offer specific discounts for veterans on their resale concert tickets. However, there are some veteran-focused organizations that work with various partners to provide free or discounted tickets to events for veterans:
- Vet Tix – provides free tickets to events including concerts, sports, performing arts and more donated by various partners. VetTixers sign up online.
- Honor2Recover – partners with StubHub to provide free and discounted tickets to veterans for select concert events.
- Guitars for Vets – a nonprofit that also distributes free concert tickets to veterans along with providing guitar instruction.
So veterans can look into these types of non-profit organizations to find opportunities for free or reduced price tickets to concerts and other events.
Are there any other ways for veterans to get discounts on tickets?
In addition to discounts directly from venues, artists, or veteran’s organizations, there are a few other ways that veterans could potentially get cheaper concert tickets:
- Sign up for artist fan clubs – some bands offer pre-sales, discounts, and other perks for official fan club members. Veterans could look into joining if a band they like offers a fan club option.
- Look for military appreciation nights – some concerts offer special military discounts on certain nights as a way to honor veterans and active duty personnel.
- Win free tickets – veterans can enter contests and giveaways from radio stations, sponsors, and media outlets for a chance to win free tickets.
- Volunteer at the venue – some venues offer volunteers free event tickets in exchange for helping out on show days.
Veterans could also consider purchasing resale tickets closer to show dates, as prices often drop below face value on secondary markets near the event. There are pros and cons to this risky approach, but it is possible to find last minute deals.
What kind of proof or documentation is required for veteran discounts?
In order to take advantage of a veteran discount on concert tickets, veterans usually need to present valid proof of their service. Common forms of documentation required include:
- Military ID Card – such as a Uniformed Services ID Card or a Veterans Health Identification Card (VHIC)
- DD214 discharge paperwork
- VA medical card
- Driver’s license with veteran designation
Active duty military personnel would show their active duty ID card. Disabled veterans may also show documentation related to any service-connected disabilities. Requirements can vary between different venues and organizations, so it’s a good idea to check ahead of time what specific proof needs to be shown.
Do family members of veterans also get ticket discounts?
Whether family members of veterans can also get discounted concert tickets varies between different policies. For discounts offered directly from venues, promoters, or artists, most of the time the discounts seem to apply specifically to veterans and active duty military members only.
However, some veteran’s organizations like VetTix do allow veterans to request free tickets for family to accompany them to events. So if going through a non-profit group, there may be opportunities for free family tickets.
It depends on the specifics of the discount, but generally expect that discounted pricing is intended for the veterans themselves unless otherwise specified that family members are eligible.
Conclusion
The bottom line is that while some discounts for veterans may be available, there is no universal guarantee or policy that veterans will get discounted tickets to any given music concert. Venues, promoters, artists, and non-profit groups may offer deals, but availability is limited and based on specific criteria for each event.
Veterans can increase their chances of finding discounted pricing by:
- Checking directly with the venue, promoter, or artist when buying tickets
- Looking for military appreciation nights
- Entering contests and giveaways
- Connecting with veteran’s organizations that distribute free tickets
- Presenting valid proof of service when claiming eligibility for discounts
With some research and persistence, veterans may be able to take advantage of special offers and save money on concert events, but nothing is guaranteed. Their service is appreciated, but does not automatically equate to reduced price tickets in the live music industry.