Garth Brooks Shares Why He Continues To Prioritize Affordable Concert Tickets Ahead Of All On My Roots Tour

As concert ticket prices continue to climb across the live music industry, Garth Brooks promises to stand by his belief that every fan should have an equal shot at the best seat in the house.

Ahead of launching his Blame It All On My Roots Tour next month, the country icon explained why he’s once again choosing to sell every ticket at the same price, regardless of where fans are in the very front or the very back of the venue.

Brooks reveals that an artist’s decision to keep ticket prices fair begins long before the sales even begin. They first have to determine whether or not they’re willing to hand over pricing control to a promoter through a “guaranteed tour,” something that has become an “industry standard,” according to him.  

A guaranteed tour means that promoters pay artists a predetermined fee and assume all the financial risk, allowing the artist to get paid no matter the outcome of the tour. While this seems like the best option for the artist, it does come with risks, like losing control of their own ticket prices. For Brooks, giving up that control isn’t an option.

The conversation comes as Brooks points out that the average country concert ticket now costs around $175, and that’s before fans factor in parking, merchandise, food and transportation.

“Let’s talk for a moment about the cost to go to a concert,” the Oklahoma native says. “There’s the ticket price. Currently, the average country concert ticket price is $175. That’s the average. Dang! You never go alone, so double it, at least. Parking? Want a T-shirt or two? Maybe dinner? You are looking at one expensive evening,” he explained.

By overseeing ticket prices himself, he says he’s able to ensure that the people who have supported his career from the very beginning, regardless of their financial situation, will have the option to come see his show at an affordable price.

“We have always chosen to do the one overall ticket price simply based on this thought: Where you sit in the arena shouldn’t depend on how much you can afford,” he says. “It should be all just luck of the draw.”

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Fans have been assured that every seat on Garth Brooks’ Blame It All On My Roots Tour will be priced the same. The decision to stray away from the typical pricing model was personal, because he wants his concerts to feel welcoming for everyone in the building that night.

“It would break my heart if I was at a show and my kids said, ‘Hey, why aren’t we sitting down there?’ and my answer was, ‘We can’t afford to sit down there,’” he says. “My thing is, make every ticket the same price, and then it’s just a matter of luck where you’re sitting in the arena.”

Brooks continued, “When this is achieved, there is a family feel in the arena that everyone is equal, and everyone is there for the same reason … to have the experience of a lifetime … equally … together.”

There’s no denying that it has been a challenge in his career to keep his promise, especially in today’s age. But seeing the prices of concert tickets “skyrocketing out of control” has made him feel more driven than ever.

“Did I think in the ’90s that $20, $50 was a lot of money? You bet,” he admits. “Do I think $20 or $50 is still a lot of money? Yes, I do. With that said, touring costs are not the same as they were in the ’90s. Hell, on the Comeback Tour, I saw in some cities that parking cost more than tickets.”

Brooks knows there will always be fans who can’t easily make the numbers work. He believes it’s his responsibility as an artist to be mindful that paychecks only go so far.

While the “Friends In Low Places” singer acknowledges that there will always be people who can’t spend any extra money to attend one of his live shows regardless of the prices, he says making his shows as affordable as possible remains a priority, with the goal of giving more people the opportunity to experience the concert.

“There are always going to be people who tell you, ‘I’d love to come see you, I just can’t afford it,’” he stated. “Those people have all of my respect. I believe it is my job to try to make the number of people who say that as small as possible.”

Garth Brooks’ Blame It All On My Roots Tour will kick off Aug. 21-22 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Tickets for these first two dates go on sale at 10 a.m. ET Friday, July 17, at Ticketmaster.com/garthbrooks or through the Ticketmaster app.