Even for Dimension 20, Ticketmaster’s Dynamic Pricing model is shrouded in secrecy

Update: After publication of this article, Dropout released a statement regarding this situation on April 14th. According to Dropout's statement, which was released on Twitter, Instagram, and their Discord server, "Dynamic Pricing/Platinum Tickets, had not been something explained to [Dropout], nor something presented as something we had the ability to opt out of."

In the statement, Dropout has taken two actions to address fans who were "priced out" of the event due to dynamic pricing. First, they have "communicated to Live Nation that it was Dropout and the cast's desire to opt out of all dynamic pricing tickets for this event and for all events going forward." The company behind Dimension 20 also stated that over 15,000 of the venue's 19,000 tickets have been sold, with the average ticket cost of $119, indicating that many fans purchases tickets "at a much more reasonable price, and dynamic pricing nonsense only kicked in for the few remaining seats."

The second action involves the introduction of "Dimensioneer Tickets," a lottery based system where individuals have the opportunity to purchase two tickets for below face value. This follows similar initiatives by Olivia Rodrigo during her GUTS tour, who Dropout directly addresses in their statement, and is a standard practice for many Broadway shows. Dimension 20 also reiterated that a recording of the live show will appear on Dropout's subscription based streaming service.

The original article can be read here:

To date, there is no event in actual play history that can compare to Dimension 20 headlining Madison Square Garden—which seats a 20,000 person audience—in January 2025. Similarities can be found in Not Another D&D Podcast’s anniversary show at Carnegie Hall (which seats less than a quarter of MSG) or Critical Role’s sold out performance at Wembley Arena (12,000 seats); but neither hold a candle to the Garden in terms of capacity and cultural significance.

“What Dimension 20 is doing with Madison Square Garden is like sending a rocket to the moon,” said Liz Duff, a producer and online culture reporter who co-hosts the Dropout Drop-in podcast. “It is so exciting from a production standpoint to see how they're going to build something for almost 20,000 people to experience in one night. It's the kind of thing that can go in the history books and set the tone for the next decade of what [the actual play] genre looks like live. The stakes are so high for what they're trying to do that they need a [high] level of community trust in order to make it happen at all.”

Presale tickets for the Gauntlet at the Garden Dimension 20 live show (a Live Nation event) went on sale April 10th at 11 AM Eastern and started at around $80-$200+ on Ticketmaster. Live Nation Entertainment (which merged with Ticketmaster back in 2010)—the company that books the venue, promotes the show, sells and then resells the tickets—has had its share of predatory pricing scandals, making this face value price point relatively inexpensive for the iconic New York City venue. 

Then the presale started.