EDITORIAL l The Value and Cost of Being a Fan

The Philippines is home to a large group of fans of different international artists. From the western and southeast Asian artists to local pinoy performers, many Filipinos are going crazy over their "biases." Fans with money and resources often find the cost of attending concerts rewarding and meaningful, while those who prioritize tickets over basic necessities despite a limited budget may later question whether the expense was truly worth it.

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Trend-hopping, idolizing, bandwagon, and a sense of belonging—few of which are the main reasons why fans all around the world purchase concert tickets and merch of their favorite artist. In a generation where missing out is feared excessively, even a price tag will not do much as long as joy is attained, and senses are well-satisfied. While fans are passionate about building memories and capturing once-in-a-lifetime experiences, the real question is this: are all of these worth the price? 

The Philippines is home to a large group of fans of different international artists. From the Americans, all-time classics like Coldplay and The Script still captures the hearts of Millennials and Young Professionals. Besides, Pop-girlies are still crazy on attending Olivia Rodrigo and Taylor Swift concerts. On the other side of the world in East Asia, particularly South Korea, big K-pop groups like BTS, SEVENTEEN, and BLACKPINK can still get their tickets and merch sold out even just for a single day.  Locally, rising stars like BINI, Cup of Joe, and SB19 became prominent in the music industry and caught the attention of younger generations—selling a huge number of tickets nationwide; performing in the biggest stadiums and colosseums in the country.    

One ticket of a performing artist whether local or international ranges in a price of around P4,000-P22,000, an amount considered as luxury to some, but an opportunity to many. When everything is taken into consideration, an individual can always choose whether to prioritize savings, education, leisure, ticket or merch. It will always fall on their decision-making and choices.  

Ultimately, answering the question whether the price of concerts and merch are really “worth it” will still cascade subjectively. Fans with money and resources will definitely say that the cost is rewarding and meaningful. Nevertheless, those fans who grabbed the opportunity and chose idolizing over other necessities even without enough budget might question themselves and justify if the cost is truly valuable.  

Seeing one’s musical idols and getting their hands to their merch is a core memory embedded with a price—a cost rooted in sacrifice, time, and hard work. A fan may see this as a financial strain, yet, it is still the unique experience and thrill that they hold on to.  

At the end of the day, it will still boil down to our priorities. If we will choose practicality or not. Sometimes, it is not about being “worth it” at times, we can always consider what we actually need.