Aug 15, 2023 - Economy & Business

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

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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