Ultra Music Festival has posted a statement responding to the criticism of their high ticket prices for 2014 ($399 for GA). They address the reasons for such steep costs stating “financial demands of city related expenses,” “ground breaking stage productions” and “artist llineups.” They also state that they will be making “improvements across a variety of areas” in 2014. Along with addressing the ticket prices, UMF also introduces a new concept they will be launching called the “Fan Experience Committee” which will be “comprised of Ultra team members, artists, and fans.” You can read the statement in full below:
In the first week of being on sale, ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL 2014 is on pace to sell out faster than ever before.
While many have taken advantage of the opportunity to purchase tickets while they are still available, we understand that our 3rd tier ticket price may be out of reach for some of our fans.
After not raising ticket prices the previous two years, and to ensure the premium quality and evolution of Ultra’s ground breaking stage productions & artist line ups, while continuing to meet the ever increasing financial demands of city related expenses associated with producing this massive festival in the heart of an urban metropolis, this price increase was unfortunately necessary.
The current cost of a General Admission ticket to Ultra Music Festival 2014 breaks down to $133 per day over the three day weekend ($166 including tax and service fees). We refuse to cut corners and provide our fans with anything less than the absolute best experience possible. The line up currently being assembled, and the level of production being planned for March 2014, will exceed expectations and continue delivering unparalleled value to our fans.
For everyone attending ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL XVI in Miami, expect to see improvements across a variety of areas to ensure that each attendee receives the premium experience that they have come to expect when they walk through our gates. There will be many exciting new developments announced as the festival approaches so be sure to stay connected.
To ensure that our attendees always have a voice, and after analyzing our recent fan survey, we are establishing a “Fan Experience Committee” comprised of Ultra team members, artists, and fans. We will be reserving spots on this committee for applicants from the general public so that our attendees have a say in how Ultra Music Festival happens. Applications will be announced when they are available.
For our fans that will not be able to experience Ultra Music Festival in person, we invite you to watch the ULTRA LIVE festival global live stream (in HD) for FREE.
In addition, for those fans in Europe on a strict budget, we invite you to join us at ULTRA EUROPE July 12/13/14 on the coast of Croatia in Split and the Island of Hvar. This is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful locations in the world. Tickets for this festival are currently priced at €75 for two days (approx. $96 USD). Tickets are still available on www.UltraEurope.com
We thank all of our loyal fans for their continued support. We look forward to sharing the Ultra Music Festival 2014 experience with you either in person or online.
UMF = Ultra Money Freaks.
http://www.youtube.com/alienx23
We don’t give a fuck about how clean the place is, or what not, the main reason we go is so we can listen to music and dance…. Soooo drop the fucking prices this is ridiculous, or find a new city to hold the event.
Wow… Now we can SLEEP!
Increased cost for the stages?? I thought music festivals were about MUSIC. Oh can’t make it?? You’re out of luck and don’t care
I get it, I do the city of Miami is brutal when it comes to $$ and the heightened demand for amazing stages and endless fun is getting much so the solution is move it from Miami.. It would be safer, more spacious, and FAR cheaper… Miami is a great city I’m Miami Beach born. But I think with as LARGE as this event has become perhaps it’s time to find another home,, just an opinion…
I couldn’t agree more sir. They could have more people AND more room.
YES! THE LIVE STREAM IS FREE! CANT WAIT! fuck you ultra.
You say fuck ultra but you’re still gonna watch the live stream? lmao
Edc has Better production and just as good of a line up and it’s cheaper and it offers ticket layaway!
Save up and by a ticket there raise is a legit excuse if you don’t want to do ultra tomorrow world is 397 for 4 days of fun pick one and stop bitching me I’m going to both cry and pout all you want about the price but in the end I’m still going to have a blast are you?
still expensive. don’t care about the additions to ultra I want a good lineup and awesome bass and that’s it.
umm not really too much it that stream, oh wait yes there is, the biggest clown in the world AOKI
Go home ultra , your drunk!!!!
Your walls will fall Ultra, mark my words, your walls will fall.
“if it ain’t broke it don’t fix it” a man once said…..and now they done broke the damn thing shit is ass backwards….oh well edc will be getting my visit next year!
Community
UMF dangled $150 early bird tickets over our heads and laughed at us all as the server crawled along, eventually crashing. The price quickly rose to $500 per ticket and then miraculously, the site loads fast! Join the cause, BOYCOTT ULTRA! PERIODDD!
ADD ME IM A DJ.
Ultra Music Festival so wait…they have a great line up for Europe in one of the most beautiful place to visit in the world for 96 bucks? a 3 day experience? they just said that..so what is wrong here again? –
“we invite you to join us at ULTRA EUROPE July 12/13/14 on the coast of Croatia in Split and the Island of Hvar. This is considered by many to be.
one of the most beautiful locations in the world. Tickets for this festival are currently priced at €75 for two days (approx. $96 USD). Tickets are still available on http://www.UltraEurope.com.
” – and we are paying 400 bucks to see who?
Problem is there is no venu in Miami that can hold an event like this that has room for 55,000 people, parking for 55,000+ and not near a residential zone that will cause sound complaints and a shutdown of the festival.
Seems legit.
Basically if we don’t like it watch it free that’s real classic. Fuck ultra there are many new party’s now electric Forrest, edc, dayglow, tomorrow world, etc. no need for this shit.
The Europe prices are dramatically cheaper … Hmm probably because ultra knows Europeans fans would send them to hell and go to tomorrowland or sensation.
He’s not talking about a venue in Miami. He’s talking about a completely different city altogether.
I don’t care about those excuses……….. EDC next year! see you all right there!
I don’t care about those excuses……….. EDC next year! see you all right there!
If you compare it to top Festivals in Europe, its actually not that expensive. With the value of the dollar agaisnt the pound or euro, its pretty much $399.
Amen
more like 500 bro! I know were everyone is gona be at during UMF probably streaming that shit for free lol!
Dear Ultra Music Festival,
I want to start by telling that you can shove those tickets way far up your ASSESS and with a CAPITAL F U…your fucking prices are ridiculous and probably wont sell out, with my 504.00$ ima be at Electric Daisy Carnival, & Tomorrow World this year. SO SUCK IT!
Christian Lazo
I completely understand having to pay for the INSANE amount of artists that they have but come on. For anyone that has ever been there , its insanely obvious that its just a money machine. Myself and my wife went to our first ultra fest this year and we fortunate enough to be able to purchase VIP ticket. Sadly if you were not one of the 40 people on the balcony you couldn’t even see the stage. On top of all of that, you had to wait in line. Yes a WAITING TIME of over 45 min in the evening and over an hour at night to get into this area where you couldn’t see, and pizza was like 30$. We spent all of our time in the GA are. Not to say that the GA areas shouldn’t be nice, but it only got worse from there. The location is so small for the amount of people that it is actually just as crowded in the walk ways as it is right in front of the stage. At one point it took us 30 min to get from one stage to another and it was only like 400 yards apart because there just wasn’t enough room for everyone so it had spilled out over the walk way and up against the retainer wall. People were on top of porta potty so they could see the stage. After going to BUKU and Counterpoint and hearing testimony from people going to EDC and other festivals. I think we will just not waste our money on Ultra and go to a festival where they actually care about the music and people and not how much money can be siphoned from the fans. Disgusted with the ULTRA family.
I completely understand having to pay for the INSANE amount of artists that they have but come on. For anyone that has ever been there , its insanely obvious that its just a money machine. Myself and my wife went to our first ultra fest this year and we fortunate enough to be able to purchase VIP ticket. Sadly if you were not one of the 40 people on the balcony you couldn’t even see the stage. On top of all of that, you had to wait in line. Yes a WAITING TIME of over 45 min in the evening and over an hour at night to get into this area where you couldn’t see, and pizza was like 30$. We spent all of our time in the GA are. Not to say that the GA areas shouldn’t be nice, but it only got worse from there. The location is so small for the amount of people that it is actually just as crowded in the walk ways as it is right in front of the stage. At one point it took us 30 min to get from one stage to another and it was only like 400 yards apart because there just wasn’t enough room for everyone so it had spilled out over the walk way and up against the retainer wall. People were on top of porta potty so they could see the stage. After going to BUKU and Counterpoint and hearing testimony from people going to EDC and other festivals. I think we will just not waste our money on Ultra and go to a festival where they actually care about the music and people and not how much money can be siphoned from the fans. Disgusted with the ULTRA family.
I learned my lesson going on VIP its pretty much worthless unless….your getting free booze through out the night…if you dont get that, then whats the point of going VIP a fancy plastic card…efff that man!
a VOICE? is that why you’re blocking so many of us on your facebook page? Yu guys are the biggest joke around.
Correction.. ultra has no parking .. just saying
Tomorrow world… Ya’ll down??!!
Ultra has outgrown Bayfront park since 2009, that’s why they moved it to Biccentennial park to begin with and they unfortunately had to move back to that small ass park since the museum started being built. So miami is not having a 2 day weekend again, and there’s no parking on the beach, so to make up for the fact that they aren’t gonna make as much money with a two day weekend, they bumped the price.. pretty simple if u do the math. Ive been going to Ultra since 2008 and every year it got better and better until 2011, then it moved back to Bayfront, i was pissed.. the mainstage was the live stage they used in 2011.
I would believe this if u hadn’t lied about the free water this year… literally every one of your employees i asked told me the same bullshit story. “We have free water, but i have no idea where it is.” or “Its by the bayfront stage.” Just some bullshit story. Where was the free water u greedy fucks? And city related expenses, you mean miami is fining you for requiring half the city cops outside the venue so kids don’t try to break in? oh youre going to need a lot of those this year. And what groundbreaking stages, u have been recyling the same stages for three years now, the carl cox arena was the same as 2012 except dangling lights and a higher dj booth wtf…and lets not mention Madonna got on stage last year and asked the crowd for ‘molly’ so this year all of the miami and the miami beach undercover and their assistants, and their trainees was working inside ultra that day. Soooo gay… don’t wanna see ppl going to jail at a rave thats for sure.