For Osteen, scalpers not just a New York phenomenon
Posted October 16, 2007
Scalpers sought as much as $190 each for tickets to his 2005 "worship tour" in Chicago, according to the Sun-Times. It's unclear whether anybody actually forked over the money.
Osteen's events originally didn't require tickets. But the fire marshal gets antsy when 20,000 people try to squeeze into an 18,000 seat arena. At some Osteen appearances, thousands of people had been turned away. So the pastor started selling tickets -- for $10 each.
A Lakewood Church spokesman says the $10 fee doesn't come close to covering the actual cost of the rally. When tickets are scalped, Osteen's ministry doesn't benefit financially -- the scalper does.
[I'm not a pop-psychologist, but I'm guessing people are a lot more likely to actually use the tickets if they've paid something to get them...]
$10 seats are still available for Osteen's three Madison Square Garden appearances this weekend, though they may be nosebleed seats. One of his services in Baltimore, later this fall, is already sold out.
Osteen has been criticized for charging admission to his crusades, shows, worship opportunities [you pick the title] -- even though he sets the price low enough that he loses money on the transaction.
Ironically, considering the criticism, Osteen spends less time talking about money than almost any evangelical evangelist I've come across -- but he still gets the criticism...