Sky-High Prices for Broadway Hits Like ‘Hamilton’

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/10/opinion/sky-high-prices-for-broadway-hits-like-hamilton.html

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To the Editor:

Lin-Manuel Miranda rightly criticizes ticket brokers who use computer “bots” to sweep up tickets for “Hamilton” and other shows, then resell them at exorbitant prices that many theatergoers can’t afford (“Stop the Bots Killing Broadway,” Op-Ed, June 7). But his criticism rings a bit hollow when two facts are considered.

First, the producers of “Hamilton” sell seats at extremely high prices in special “pre-sales” for wealthy buyers — for example, $849 seats now exclusively available to American Express Centurion/Platinum Card holders (Centurion cards require a $7,500 “initiation fee” and $2,500 annual fee).

Second, the show’s producers participate with Ticketmaster in a resale market that extracts enormous premiums. When the producers release a new batch of seats, they sell out almost instantly. Then, with a few more mouse clicks, buyers can re-list them on the very same website at unlimited markups. Many are listed for more than $2,000 a seat — and the website takes a hefty percentage of every resale.

My wife and I have seen “Hamilton” and enjoyed it immensely. Mr. Miranda is a prodigious talent and deserves to be richly rewarded. But he and his producers are flawed messengers when it comes to criticizing practices that put Broadway out of many theatergoers’ reach.

STUART ALTSCHULER

New York

To the Editor:

While “ticket bots” may well be one barrier to purchasing affordable theater tickets, it should be acknowledged that standard-priced tickets at the box office are well beyond the financial reach of many people as well. Bots only exacerbate an existing problem.

The prohibitive cost of tickets prevents many people from having the chance to enjoy the excitement and brilliance of Broadway theater.

HAROLD LANGUS

Staatsburg, N.Y.