Saratoga Springs, NY (WRGB) — Starting next summer, concertgoers at Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) will no longer be able to bring their own lawn chairs to Live Nation events. Instead, attendees who wish to sit will have to rent a chair for $15.
The new policy has drawn mixed reactions from the public.
“It’s not fair, it’s just not fair,” said one concertgoer. “Please don’t charge us for a chair, please let us bring our own chair.”
Margaret Von Seggern, a Corinth resident, sees the move as an issue of diversity, equity, and inclusion. She argues that the new rule doesn’t consider people with physical mobility or seating issues.
“Forcing people to get one kind of chair at the entrance without considering the issues with people who have physical mobility issues, or seating mobility issues, you’re forcing them to conform to something that will only make them uncomfortable,” said Von Seggern.
As the mother of a child with intellectual disabilities, Von Seggern also believes the new policy will make it more difficult for families with special needs to attend concerts.
“They pick those chairs and bring those chairs for a specific reason because it meets them where they are,” she said.
Other concertgoers, like Kristen Crocetta from Clifton Park, criticized the additional cost of chair rentals.
“We have to pay enough for the ticket to go to the concert in the first place, so then to pay an additional fee for a chair, yeah, it’s expensive… we’re getting charged enough, taxes are too high, groceries are too high,” Crocetta said.
However, not all reactions were negative. Tom Rhodes, a Saratoga resident, supports the change, believing that banning lawn chairs could help alleviate overcrowding on the lawn.
“A lot of the concerts, the lawn is super crowded, and I think chairs add to that, so hopefully, it will clear up a little space,” Rhodes said. “If you’re stuck at the back or on the lawn early, and you need to get up and use the bathroom, it makes it tough to watch the show.”
Some concertgoers said they will continue to attend Live Nation events despite the new rules.
“I’ll still be there,” said one person.
“I probably wouldn’t go,” said another. “It’s just another expense I can’t afford right now.”
Live Nation defended the change in a statement, saying the new policy will reduce wait times at the gates and create a more comfortable environment for fans on the lawn.
The new policy will not apply to all SPAC events. Fans can still bring personal chairs to performances produced by SPAC, including the Saratoga Jazz Festival, Philadelphia Orchestra, and New York City Ballet. Rental chairs can be ordered online before attending a Live Nation concert through the Upgrades menu on their website.
In May, the U.S. Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster, accusing the companies of illegally monopolizing markets in the live entertainment industry.
