One of the biggest rock tours in the nation, is going free.Sharon Osbourne announced today that ALL tickets to ALL shows on this year's OzzFest tour will be FREE. All bands at all shows will make whatever money they can from merchandise sales and sponsorships.
"We're reaching the same point we did years ago when kids no longer wanted to pay for overpriced CDs," compares Sharon. "As a result, they found alternative ways of getting music. That’s what’s happening with summer touring in this country, it’s out-pricing itself. We started this and we want to keep it and we want to make it bigger and bigger each year by getting bigger sponsors to be involved with the festival and underwriting the festival. That’s what it’s about."
HypeBot reports that grunge legends Alice in Chains are confirmed for the tour, and OzzFest's main site has added that Ozzy Osbourne will perform at EVERY show on the tour.
Coupled with Steve Jobs' broadside slam against DRM earlier today, this is a helluva 1-2 punch to the midsection of the music industry's model of complete control over how music is distributed and monetized.
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5 comments:
This is brilliant!!
Mack,
In the late '60s and early '70s, it wasn't uncommon for big-name rock bands to play free in a park or for a very small fee (less than $5). I love that Sharon is doing this. We marketers can learn a thing or two from her.
Sharon is one smart cookie!!!
How do they manage the crowd? Do they hand out free tickets at the box office prior to the event or is it a mass free-for-all at the gates?
Tammy I believe I read on their website that fans will register online for the tickets, then I guess they are either mailed to them, or held at will call? Not sure but I don't its going to be a 'free for all' at the gates ;)
Lewis there's a company called Instant Live that sells CDs of the concert immediately after the show ends. If they are on this tour I would think those CDs would be huge sellers. I think they also let you download the music. If more tours start going the 'free' route, I think you'll see these 'live concert' CD sales surge.
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