Rodeo committees can get a little nervous when the subject of raising ticket prices comes up.
And there’s a good reason for that.
Rodeo has traditionally been one of the best values in family entertainment. Committees don’t want to reach a point where a working family looks at the cost of bringing everyone to the rodeo and decides they simply can’t afford to go.
That concern matters.
But there’s another side to the conversation.
The cost of producing a quality rodeo continues to increase. Stock contractors, personnel, entertainment, advertising, insurance, facilities, production and nearly everything else associated with putting on a rodeo costs more than it did five or ten years ago.
At the same time, many rodeos continue charging ticket prices that were established years ago.
Keeping tickets affordable is important. But undervaluing the event isn’t necessarily the answer either.
At Rockin H Marketing, we thought we might shed a little light on the subject by sharing five things we believe every rodeo committee should consider before raising ticket prices.
5 Things to Consider Before Raising Rodeo Ticket Prices
1. Has the Value of Your Rodeo Increased?
Start by looking at what your customers receive today compared with what they were getting when your current ticket price was established.
Has the rodeo improved?
Maybe you’ve added better production, upgraded sound, video boards, specialty acts, concerts, improved facilities, more activities before the rodeo or simply created a better overall fan experience.
Those improvements have value.
If your committee is putting considerably more into the event but charging the same admission it did years ago, the ticket price may no longer accurately reflect what you’re producing.
Instead of only asking:
“Will people pay more?”
We think committees should also ask:
“Are we providing more value than we were when this ticket price was established?”
If the answer is yes, a reasonable increase may deserve consideration.
2. What Are Your Costs Actually Doing?
Take a hard look at what it costs to produce your rodeo.
What did the event cost five years ago?
What does it cost today?
Look beyond one or two major contracts. Consider the entire event — livestock, personnel, entertainment, advertising, insurance, utilities, security, equipment, awards, hospitality and everything else required to open the gates.
If expenses continue to climb while ticket revenue remains relatively flat, eventually that difference has to come from somewhere.
That doesn’t automatically mean higher ticket prices are the only answer.
Sponsorship revenue may need to increase. Expenses may need to be evaluated. New revenue opportunities may need to be developed.
But ticket pricing should absolutely be part of the conversation.
There is nothing wrong with protecting affordable family entertainment. At the same time, continually weakening the financial position of the rodeo because nobody wants to discuss admission prices isn’t a good long-term strategy either.
3. Are All of Your Performances Really Worth the Same Price?
This is an area where we believe many multi-performance rodeos have an opportunity.
You don’t necessarily have to raise every ticket.
Suppose you have a three-night rodeo and Saturday night regularly sells out while Thursday still has plenty of available seats.
Why should Thursday and Saturday automatically cost the same?
Maybe they shouldn’t.
Your committee could leave Thursday and Friday exactly where they are and test a modest increase on Saturday.
That allows the rodeo to generate additional revenue from its highest-demand performance while still providing customers with a lower-priced option.
The same thinking can be applied to reserved seating, premium sections, advance-purchase pricing and gate pricing.
Ticket pricing doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing decision.
Sometimes the best strategy isn’t simply raising ticket prices.
It’s building a smarter ticket structure.
4. How Does Your Price Compare to Other Entertainment?
Your customers aren’t only comparing your rodeo to another rodeo down the road.
They’re deciding how they want to spend their entertainment dollars.
That competition might be a movie, concert, sporting event, festival, amusement park or simply taking the family out for dinner.
Look at your rodeo through that same lens.
If someone can purchase a ticket and receive several hours of competition, entertainment and atmosphere for considerably less than many other entertainment options in the area, your rodeo may actually be underpriced.
That doesn’t mean the goal should be charging as much as possible.
We believe there is an important difference between being affordable and simply being cheap.
The goal should be to provide customers with excellent value.
5. How Can You Raise Revenue Without Pricing Families Out?
This may be the most important part of the discussion.
If keeping the rodeo accessible to families is important to your organization — and we believe it should be for most community rodeos — build affordability into your ticket strategy.
You don’t necessarily have to keep every ticket at the lowest possible price to accomplish that.
Maybe you offer a discounted opening night.
Maybe a sponsor helps underwrite a Family Night.
You could offer children’s pricing, advance-purchase discounts, family packages or special community promotions.
For a multi-day rodeo, you might increase Saturday admission while leaving another performance at the current price.
That provides an affordable option for families who need it while still allowing the rodeo to generate additional revenue where demand is strongest.
There can even be a marketing advantage.
Instead of apologizing for a price increase, you can promote the value of another performance:
“Want to save? Come Thursday.”
Now you’ve accomplished two things.
You’ve protected an affordable option for your customers while also giving them another reason to attend a performance that may have more available seats.
One More Thing: Don’t Wait Too Long
There’s one mistake we would encourage committees to avoid:
Waiting too long.
A rodeo that should have gradually moved from $15 to $17, then $19 and eventually $21 may someday discover that it suddenly needs to jump from $15 to $25.
That’s when customers experience sticker shock.
Smaller, reasonable adjustments over time can be much easier for customers to accept than one large increase after years of holding prices steady.
That doesn’t mean ticket prices need to increase every year.
It means ticket pricing should be reviewed every year, even when the final decision is to leave it exactly where it is.
Your ticket price should be a business decision — not simply a tradition.
The Goal Isn’t Higher Ticket Prices
At Rockin H Marketing, we don’t believe the objective should be to squeeze every possible dollar out of the people walking through the gate.
The goal should be a stronger rodeo.
A financially healthy event can invest in better production, stronger marketing, improved facilities and a better experience for the people sitting in the grandstands. It can handle rising expenses without constantly cutting corners, and it can remain financially strong enough to come back next year and for many years after that.
Keep rodeo affordable.
Keep it family friendly.
But don’t automatically assume that keeping the same ticket price forever is what’s best for either the customer or the rodeo.
Sometimes a few additional dollars at the gate can help provide a much better experience once that customer gets inside.
Ready to Raise the Level of Your Rodeo?
Ticket pricing is only one piece of building a successful rodeo.
If your committee is looking to strengthen its marketing, increase attendance, improve its brand, provide more value to sponsors or simply raise the overall level of your event, Rockin H Marketing can help.
We understand rodeo because we work in rodeo. We believe the goal isn’t to change what makes your rodeo special. It’s to take what your committee has already built, identify opportunities for improvement and help make the event stronger for your fans, contestants, sponsors and community.
If your committee is ready to raise the level of your rodeo, contact Rockin H Marketing and let’s talk about where your event can go next.
