Dylan & Nelson Tour Ballparks In Unique Package

It’s been a very weak concert season and one of the few bright spots is coming from an unusual place – minor league ballparks. In what hypebot thinks is one of the more creatively packaged tours in years, Jam Productions has packaged two icons who (while still great) are so far past their prime that they are only worth a couple of thousand tickets each – Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson.

But packaged together and placed in 22 minor league ballparks in secondary markets their doing 6-10,000 tickets and more nightly. The fact that expenses are low and and all concerend smart enough not to get greedy helps too. Tickets are usually a comparatively modest $45 for Dylan, Nelson and an opener including ticket charges with all kids 12 and under free. Beer is $4-$6 instead of the $8-$9 charged at the major sheds.

Not a bargain perhaps, but a very fair price to see these acts together in a fun setting located closer to where many of this kind of artist’s fans actually live.

Promoter Jerry Mickelson of Jam Productions told touring industry trade magazine Pollstar that “the ballparks were a natural choice. Not only are they located in traditionally ignored areas, but they lack the corporate mentality that has caused the industry to suffer.”

“These ballparks are not part of a large corporation that feels the need to gouge the consumer,” he explained. “These ballparks are not run by bean counters who know nothing about what fans want. They know about what bringing value to a fan is. They’re not worried about quarterly profit returns or margins.
“This is what our business used to be about – being reasonable so we could put more bodies into the seats we’re trying to fill.”

Mickelson told Pollstar that future tours of similar venues are in the works, and that several acts and managers have contacted him to express interest.