Ticket prices for Noah Kahan’s July 18 Citi Field concert are increasing fast with resale tickets costing much more than face value and leaving many college students unable to afford them.
By: Jada Taggart
Ticket prices for the upcoming Noah Kahan concert at Citi Field on July 18 have risen beyond an affordable amount with resale listings reaching hundreds of dollars just for nosebleed seats, putting the event out of stight for many college students, according to fans and current ticket listings.
The price increase is due to Kahan becoming more popular and changes in the live music industry. High demand, ticket pricing systems, and more expensive concert production have all pushed prices up. Students say these factors make it harder to afford major concerts.
Noah Kahan is a folk-pop artist known for writing music that focuses on personal experiences, mental health, and life in New England. His songs often include acoustic elements and storytelling lyrics having his music be so relatable and real it leads his fanbase to be a lot of young people such as college students who can relate to his words.
“I love him as an artist because no matter how big he gets he always remembers where he came from,” said Savitz. “He doesn’t let his fame get in the way of having a relationship with his fans.”
Kahan, who gained widespread attention over the past two years through streaming platforms and social media, has taken him from performing in smaller venues to headlining large stadiums. His upcoming show at Citi Field marks one of his largest performances to date. With that growth has come a noticeable shift in ticket pricing compared to earlier tours of his.
“The art of live music lost its spark”, said Remedios. “Due to the high prices fans can’t even afford to see the music they love its economically messed up”
Across the music industry, ticket prices are going up as artists perform in bigger venues. Larger shows need more equipment, workers, and planning, which increases costs. Many ticketing platforms also change prices based on demand, so tickets can become more expensive just minutes after they go on sale and it’s very rare that with prices this high they will get any cheaper.
For college students, rising ticket prices make concerts harder to afford. Many already have tight budgets and pay for tuition, housing, food, and transportation. Buying a concert ticket often costing hundreds of dollars can take a lot of planning or may not be possible at all.
Additional costs tied to attending concerts can further impact affordability. Expenses such as travel to the venue, food, outfits for the show and merchandise can add to the overall cost of attending a show, increasing the financial costs of the concert beyond the ticket itself so on top of the hundreds of dollar tickets some tickets reaching thousands there are also additional costs to be made in attending the concert.
A majority of Noah’s fans are around my age and unless you’re receiving tickets as a gift or saving up money for months it’s almost impossible to go”, said Savitz. “It’s hard when you’re a student balancing tuition gas and other necessities.”
The resale market also plays a key role in pricing. Tickets are frequently bought in bulk and resold at higher prices, limiting access to lower-cost options. In some cases, resale prices can double or triple the original ticket cost.
Despite the higher costs, demand for Kahan’s concerts remains strong, particularly among younger audiences. His fan base includes a large number of college-aged listeners, contributing to the insane sale of tickets.
Some fans say Kahan grows more popular and loved because he still connects with his audience, even as his concerts get bigger.
“Theres a certain connection that happens when people experience things together”, said Rosado. “Building that community in the arena and in that space all together makes the money spent worth it.”
