10 Exclusive Events Wealthy People Love — Could You Afford a Ticket?
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Nicole Spector
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Amber Barkley
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We live in a culture where FOMO (fear of missing out) can reign supreme. What’s more, people increasingly value experiences over things in our material-obsessed society. This factors into why people love going to events so much. But just how much do they love this? Enough to dish out thousands and thousands of dollars — if, of course, they can afford it.
What are the world’s most exclusive events that wealthy people love to attend? And how much would a ticket to said events set you back?
Monaco Grand Prix
The Monaco Grand Prix in posh Monte Carlo, which sits astride the French Riviera, is probably the most famous racing event of the year. This year it was held on May 28.
Exclusive VIP tickets went for as much as around $3,500 a pop, but a single standing room ticket goes for around $213.
NBA Championship Finals
Every year, the cost to attend the NBA Championship Finals astonishes, and this year has been no exception. Tickets have managed to get pricier.
In June, the average price for a ticket to get a seat at the 2023 NBA Finals for Game 3 was $1,085, compared to $708 when the Heat made the Finals in 2014, according to Seat Geek, and as reported by Local10.com.
PopTech
Aptly named, PopTech is an annual conference focused on emerging technology, science and creative expression. PopTech 2023: Nuance, Finding Balance in an Imbalanced World is slated to be held in October and will be a more intimate affair than past conferences, with attendance limited to 150 people.
A standard ticket costs $1,600.
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Another annual racing event that brings in the big spenders is the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Yas Island. This year it takes place on Nov. 26. Drawing in racing fans from all over the world, tickets are currently going for as much as 4,769,54 euros, or about $5,230, while the cheapest presently available are 593,34 euros.
The US Golf Masters
Coming in April 2024 is the annual U.S. Golf Masters Tournament — a four-day championship series held for golf. Tickets on Stubhub are already being listed for April’s event — some for well over $3,000 — but you can find one right now for as low as $980.
The Olympics
It probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise that the Olympics, be they summer or winter, are a hot ticket happening. Tickets for the Paris 2024 Olympics are already being hyped, with some pretty affordable options on the table, including an initial million tickets priced at just 24 euros. Surely you can pay way more, especially if you’re looking for up close action and exclusive lounge access.
On Stubhub, there are some decent seat choices for just under $1,000, but that only covers one football match, so, clearly, you can really spend a lot here if you want to see a lot.
WSJDLive
Great minds intersect and engage in highbrow discourse at WSJDLive, an exclusive, invitation-only summit that happens annually. This year the conference is called WSJ Tech Live, and it’s coming to Laguna Beach, Calif. in mid-October.
You have to request an invitation in order to proceed with booking a ticket, which starts at $2,499 and goes up to at least $4,000.
The Super Bowl
Probably every American is familiar with the biggest day of the year in American football: the Super Bowl! Costs to attend this ultimate championship game — which bookends a dynamite live concert featuring an in-demand musical artist or two — have accelerated over the years.
According to Parade, in 2023, prices for the Super Bowl started just below $5,000 and soared to around $36,000 for the best seats.
The Met Gala
If you’re remotely familiar with celebrity culture or fashion, you’ve likely heard of the Met Gala, an annual fundraising gala benefiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. Also known as the Met Ball, this decadent affair sees the most sought-after and venerated talent grace the red carpet with eccentric fashion pieces that tie in with the year’s theme.
In 2023, the theme of the Met Gala was ‘Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty’, and many stars showed up to strut their stuff. A standard ticket to this event is about $32,000 — but if you’re famous enough, you probably won’t have to pay a penny!
TED Conference
We’ve all heard a TED Talk or two, but have we all been to the TED Conference? Likely not. Possibly the most expensive annual event open to the public, the TED Conference lures in leaders across all fields to dazzle big thinkers and dreamers. Over 70 speakers appear on the main stage to talk and/or perform.
Though everyone should have access to powerful ideas and hear directly from the people thinking them up, you may have to sit this one out if you’re on a budget. A ticket to the TED Conference can be as high as $250,000. Cost details on the website are rather vague, but it appears that fair market value of donor and standard tickets are only $3,000.
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