Scotiabank Arena Launches $2,500 Annual Concert Priority Membership

Concertgoers face new costs as Scotiabank Arena launched an annual membership program on Monday that offers early ticket access for a steep fee.

The venue introduced the Scotiabank Arena Priority+ pass, which costs $2,500 annually plus applicable fees and taxes. Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment operates the downtown venue and designed the program to give buyers the opportunity to purchase up to two tickets per eligible show before public presales begin, according to CBC.

The membership covers more than 50 eligible concert announcements for 2027.

However, the $2,500 fee does not include the price of the tickets themselves, and purchases remain subject to seat availability.

Program rules state that presale access applies only to the first announced show for each eligible event, excluding any added dates or select performances.

Social Media Users Criticize Expensive Membership Fees

Social media users immediately criticized the membership fee as tone-deaf and expensive during a broader cost-of-living crisis.

“Just greedy shame on you for pricing people out of live experiences when it’s already expensive to go to them SHAME,” an X user posted, as cited by NOW Toronto.

Other internet users lobbed words like diabolical at the venue’s X account, while another X user posted, “Who’s running the marketing department at ScotiaBank Scrooge McDuck?”

Reddit users expressed similar frustration over the rising costs of live entertainment.

“We’re firmly at the point where these corpo’s have realized they don’t need the business of the working class masses,” wrote Reddit user KnightHart00, according to the Toronto Sun. “They only need the money of a few whales or the wealthy to sustain themselves now.”

Other commenters argued that the program might set a precedent for other venues.

“You’ll have to pay $2500+ for the right to pay $500/ticket,” wrote user to12007 in the same Toronto Sun report. “If this works, every venue will follow. Only the rich will be able to attend events.”

Ultimately, many called on the venue to reconsider the membership, with one Toronto resident writing, “…Myself and many fans have personally decided to no longer attend concerts at your venue until this is no longer in effect.” Another fan stated, “You should be ashamed.” “You can clearly see the outrage in these replies so I hope you will reconsider and ensure more tickets are getting into the hands of REAL fans for affordable prices,” another fan stated, while another simply wrote, “Shut it down.”

Goldberg Defends Seats While Consumers Question Value

Goldberg also questioned whether the designated seats would diminish availability for the general public, though he said that the two-ticket limit helps deter ticket resellers and bots.

“This is clearly geared toward those who have the disposable income, not only to buy the tickets, but also to pay for this annual membership,” he said.

Resident Kelly King told CBC Toronto on Thursday that the price tag did not appeal to her.

“It doesn’t really seem worth it,” King said. “Tickets are already so expensive.”

“I’m open to learning more,” Cindy Rendon, an avid concert goer, said. It does sound interesting.”

“The pool of beta users does not change or affect the number of tickets available to the general public for a given show, and diligent measures are in place to exclude ticket resellers,” Malisani told CBC.