Some Coloradans Pay Fewer Ticket Fees By Going To The Box Office In Person

DENVER (CBS4) - Colorado has some of the most beautiful concert venues in the world, but as ticket prices continue to rise, many music lovers are getting priced out of the market.

"I just like to see them play live," said Dillon Moore, an avid concertgoer.

But as concert ticket prices increase, he's getting squeezed.

"It's out of control," he said.

Moore had a recent receipt showing that he paid $93 for two tickets to a show. The ticket vendor added on a $17.05 convenience fee to each ticket. On top of that, there was a $15.00 Flash + Souvenir Fee. The grand total for the tickets was $149.10, 34% of that was fees.

"And fees keep going up every single year," Moore added.

The base price for a ticket is usually set by the artists and their team. Sometimes the venue will charge a facilities fee. But, convenience fees, service fees and order processing fees are largely set by the ticketing agent.

"About three times a year, I'll come out and get tickets, so I don't have to pay the service fees," Moore told CBS4.

Moore is paying fewer fees by going to the box office in person. Every Saturday, AXS opens the box office at the Coliseum from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

"I'm trying to pinch every penny that I've got. So for a couple of hours, coming down here, I'm going to buy eight tickets, so that's $200, makes it a pretty easy decision for me," Moore explained.

The line gets long, and there are limits on what you can buy.

"This year, you can only get eight tickets per day you come down here," Moore said.

While Moore still paid a Box Office Service Fee, it was only $14.40 for all eight tickets.