Morgan Wallen’s concert in Ottawa was one of the most anticipated country music events of the year. As a breakout star who has dominated the charts and airwaves over the past couple years, Wallen has cultivated a passionate fanbase that was eager to see him perform live in the Canadian capital. However, high demand coupled with limited venue capacity meant tickets were not easy to come by, especially at affordable prices. For those lucky enough to secure seats, how much did they end up paying to watch Wallen take the stage in Ottawa? Let’s take a closer look at the pricing details for Morgan Wallen tickets in this city.
Face Value Ticket Prices
Wallen’s concert was held at TD Place Arena, the home of the Ottawa Senators with a maximum seating capacity of about 10,000 for concerts. He performed just one show in Ottawa on his Dangerous Tour on March 17, 2022. Tickets went on sale to the general public on December 3, 2021. Here are the face value ticket prices that were originally listed:
Section | Price Range |
Floor Seats | $125 – $499 |
Lower Bowl | $79 – $125 |
Upper Bowl | $49 – $79 |
As you can see, floor seats closest to the stage were priced at a premium, going for as much as $499 each before fees. The lowest price available was $49 for seats in the upper sections of the arena. Overall, face value costs spanned from less than $50 to nearly $500 depending on the location within TD Place Arena.
Demand Drives Up Resale Prices
Those initial face value prices became largely irrelevant once tickets started being resold on the secondary market. The incredibly high demand to see Morgan Wallen live in concert drove resale prices to astronomical levels for this show.
Looking at popular resale sites like StubHub and Vivid Seats in the days leading up to the Ottawa concert, most tickets were going for $200 and up. Even seats in the rear sections of the upper bowl that originally cost $49 were being resold for around $150 or more.
Floor tickets close to the main stage had huge markups from their initial prices. Some floor seats with a face value of $399 were going for as much as $1,800! The average resale price for floor seats was generally between $700 and $1,200 the week of the show.
Section | Average Resale Price Range |
Floor Seats | $700 – $1,200 |
Lower Bowl | $250 – $600 |
Upper Bowl | $150 – $250 |
This data shows just how much above face value the secondary market drove up costs for Morgan Wallen’s Ottawa show. Fans had to be prepared to pay several times the original cost in order to get tickets from resellers.
Why Did Prices Increase So Much?
There are a few key factors that led to such high resale ticket prices for Morgan Wallen in Ottawa:
– High demand – As mentioned, Wallen has become one of the most popular new country stars after hits like “Whiskey Glasses” and “Chasin’ You.” His fans were eager to see him in Ottawa.
– Low supply – TD Place Arena only holds around 10,000 seats for concerts. With all of Ontario clamoring for Morgan Wallen tickets, supply was very limited.
– Loyal fanbase – Country fans are known to be extremely devoted. They were willing to pay big bucks for this special concert experience.
– First Canadian tour stop – Ottawa was the kickoff to Wallen’s first ever solo tour in Canada. Fans wanted to catch this historic show.
– Lack of price caps – Unlike some venues, there were no price restrictions put in place on resale tickets. This allowed the open market to drive up costs.
Most Expensive Ottawa Tickets
Just how crazy did prices get on the high end for Morgan Wallen tickets in Ottawa? Here are some of the most exorbitant tickets that actually sold close to show date:
– Front row floor ticket: $3,000
– VIP Meet & Greet package: $2,500
– Floor ticket in first 5 rows: $2,000
– Floor ticket in rows 6-10: $1,800
– Front row of lower bowl: $1,500
Paying $3,000 for one front row ticket was indeed an exceptional case. But it just demonstrates how much super fans were willing to shell out. Meet and greet packages with exclusive perks understandably also sold for thousands given their VIP nature.
Overall, while most tickets ultimately sold for hundreds of dollars, there were certainly some die-hard Morgan Wallen supporters who paid princely sums to get as close as possible for this Ottawa show.
How Ticket Prices Compared to Other Shows
To understand if the Ottawa concert was an anomaly or more common on this tour, it is helpful to compare its ticket prices to other shows. Here is a sample of what Morgan Wallen tickets were reselling for in various major cities:
– Ottawa, ON: $150 – $1,200
– Toronto, ON: $175 – $850
– Montreal, QC: $125 – $750
– Vancouver, BC: $125 – $650
– Edmonton, AB: $100 – $500
– Calgary, AB: $75 – $400
– Los Angeles, CA: $125 – $600
– New York, NY: $150 – $800
– Boston, MA: $175 – $700
– Washington, DC: $125 – $650
– Chicago, IL: $100 – $500
– Detroit, MI: $75 – $400
A few interesting observations:
– Ottawa was on the high end, but not drastically higher than larger US cities
– Toronto and Montreal also saw robust demand and resale prices
– Western Canada cities had the lowest ticket costs on the tour
So while the Ottawa show was certainly on the pricier end, it was not completely outlier. This data indicates that Morgan Wallen tickets maintained quite high values throughout most major markets on the tour, especially closer to the Eastern Canadian and Northeastern US dates.
Should Fans Pay So Much for Tickets?
Given the sky-high resale prices, an important question arises – should Morgan Wallen fans actually pay hundreds or thousands of dollars to attend his shows? There are a few perspectives on this:
The Case For Paying Big Bucks
– Once in a lifetime experience: Wallen’s popularity may never be higher again
– True fans: His music means so much to them it’s worth large expense
– Special occasion: Making memories like this are priceless
– Going with friends: Split costs and it becomes more reasonable
The Case Against Paying Big Bucks
– Sets bad precedents: Drives up prices across the industry
– Unreasonable: Hard to rationalize spending so much on one concert
– Wait for next tour: Prices could be lower at smaller venues
– Enjoy music for free: Streaming his albums provides a similar joy
– Too many expenses: Tickets, travel, etc. adds up quickly
There are good arguments on both sides. Ultimately, it is a personal choice for fans. The special memories made at a bucket list concert may outweigh the hefty cost for some. But other fans may decide it simply isn’t worth the outrageous prices, even for their favorite musician.
Tips for Finding Cheaper Morgan Wallen Tickets
For fans who want to see Morgan Wallen live but can’t afford the typical resale costs, here are some tips that may help secure cheaper tickets:
– Buy months in advance: Prices are lowest right when tickets initially go on sale.
– Join fan club: Artists sometimes offer pre-sales or special deals to fan club members.
– Buy upper bowl/rear seats: The worst views in the arena still allow you to be there live.
– Look for ticket deals: Check sites like Groupon for special promo offers.
– Buy last minute: Prices can drop in the final 24 hours as sellers panic. But risky.
– Find a local seller: Avoid fees from resale sites by buying from someone locally.
– Split costs with friends: Get the full experience for a fraction of the price.
With the right strategy, patience, and compromise, even high-demand Morgan Wallen tickets can potentially be purchased for below face value.
Key Takeaways
– Morgan Wallen ticket face values for Ottawa ranged from $49 – $499
– Huge demand drove resale prices up to $150 – $3,000 in Ottawa
– VIP/front row tickets went for as much as $2,500+
– Ottawa was on the pricier end but similar to other major markets
– Fans must decide if the experience is worth expensive tickets
– Advance planning or last minute deals can help find cheaper tickets
Conclusion
Morgan Wallen’s concert in Ottawa was undoubtedly one of the hottest country music tickets in Canada in 2022. For his loyal fans, the opportunity to see this superstar perform live was an incredible experience. However, actually securing tickets meant paying astronomical resale prices in many cases, from hundreds to potentially thousands of dollars. Each fan had to weigh the value of these memories versus the high costs. But for those who chose to dig deep into their wallets and empty their bank accounts, this was a bucket list country concert that will not soon be forgotten. Ottawa was one of the pricier stops on Wallen’s tour overall, but still in line with other major cities as fan demand resulted in sky-high resale ticket prices across the board. For Morgan Wallen followers, his popularity may never reach these heights again. So those able to catch him live in Ottawa during this breakthrough time likely considered the expensive tickets to be money well spent.