Let me be the first to say, what a surprise. Again PB is underwriting a big concert, again long lines formed on the first day, and again tickets have not sold out.
Kat over at the FoBoBlo is absolutely right to call BS on Program Board’s claim that the Maroon 5 concert is subject to “overwhelming demand.” Having worked with PB last year, I can confirm that the Mraz/Folds concert was opened to other schools because PB failed to sell enough tickets to GW students. The same is happening this year.
As part of PB’s arrangement with SAC, Ticketmaster, and the band, they must sell a certain number of tickets to cover the cost of the event. They can’t blow their operating budget on the concert, since they are expected to have a spring concert and other events. They need to recoup costs with ticket sales. So what’s the cost? If I had to guess, I’d say PB is paying $80,000 for Maroon 5 and another $15k to rent lighting, sound, and stage equipment for the Smith Center.
Of course, you won’t hear those numbers from Program Board. Say what you will about SA transparency, at least they are trying with www.gwsafunds.com; Program Board is as closed as it can be. PB has an operating budget of about $250,000, most of which goes towards concerts and film screenings, and they should be held accountable for that money.
Am I the only one who doesn’t think a giant concert is the best use of funds? It’s impossible to please every GW student with any single event, concert or otherwise. And let’s not forget PB has seven other event planning committees besides Concerts, although you would hardly know it. You know what? I say ditch the big concerts altogether (keep Fall Fest and Spring Fling if we must). GW students have both the means ($$) and opportunity (living in DC) to attend plenty of concerts at the 9:30 Club or Wolf Trap or the Verizon Center. We don’t need one on campus. I’d rather see PB discount specific events in DC than underwrite a specific concert that students only feel lukewarm about and is held in a less-than-ideal venue. PB could pay for a group trip to the Folger Theatre, to a Nationals game, to the 9:30 Club, to the DC Shorts Film Festival, or to Taste of the Nation. It would be a combination of SASS and the City + Groupon DC + Student Advantage + all of the great venues DC already houses.
And don’t be surprised if PB sponsors another Fountain Fling on the Vern this year. After spending their budget on a big Fall Fest and the Maroon 5 concert, it is likely that PB will again work with the Mt. Vernon Programming Council to host a joint “Fountain Fling” at the MVC. Combining their budgets allows them to get a bigger name artist.
(Cross posted as a comment on the FoBoBlo as a response to Kat’s post on the issue.)
