Aug 15, 2023 - Economy

Ticketmaster is selling "listening seats" with "no view" for Beyoncé's tour

Nathan Bomey

A woman in a shiny purple leotard and knee-high purple boots struts on the stage with backup dancers behind her — Beyoncé performs onstage during the Renaissance World Tour at MetLife Stadium on July 30 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Parkwood

The music industry has found a new way to squeeze revenue out of its biggest acts: "listening seats."

What's happening: Ticketmaster has been quietly selling "listening seats" or "listening-0nly" seats at some stops on Beyoncé's mega tour, listing them as having "no view" or "no stage view."

One Axios staffer bought a listening-only seat at the last minute for Beyoncé's recent Renaissance World Tour stop in the Washington, D.C. area for about $50.
She could see the screen during the concert and caught fleeting glimpses of Queen Bey herself when the superstar walked to the edge of the stage.

The intrigue: One person who bought a listening-only ticket for the show in East Rutherford, New Jersey, actually could see the stage from the side, Insider reported.

Fox 5 Atlanta reported that listening-only seats for the show at Mercedes-Benz Stadium were being sold for $226 plus taxes and fees.

What they're saying: It's not clear how widely these tickets are available and whether they're being sold for other tours.

Ticketmaster did not respond to a request for comment.

💭 Nathan's thought bubble: Suddenly "standing room only" seats don't sound so bad.

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Ticketmaster is selling "listening seats" with "no view" for Beyoncé's tour

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