‘Fan fest should be free’: Toronto rethinks pricing strategy after backlash

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow says general admission to the World Cup Fan Fest should be free, with a limited number of VIP tickets still set to be sold.

Toronto’s World Cup fan festival could be made free for 80 per cent of attendees, marking a reversal from a plan to sell $10 tickets to the event that was met with widespread public outcry.

Toronto City Council is expected to consider a staff report today which would pave the way for more than 15,000 general admission tickets to be given away for free each day of the fan festival.

The debate comes after Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow asked staff to go back to the drawing board and come up with a plan to make the event free.

“My position is clear, fan fest should be free for general admission. We can offer VIP packages for those who want them, but the gates should be open for everyone,” Chow said ahead of Wednesday’s meeting.

The mayor is pushing council to scrap the proposed $10 admission fee which first came to light last week and replace it with a free entry model, arguing ticketing can still be used to manage crowds without charging residents. The move comes after backlash from fans and Coun. Brad Bradford who first highlighted that charging a fee “feels really petty” from the city.

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A staff report, released last week initially defended the model, suggesting that it would help address concerns of overcrowding while also helping offset rising event costs tied to security and programming.

The festival, set to run from June 11 to July 19 at Fort York and The Bentway, is expected to draws tens of thousands of visitors to the city this summer.

Free entry, for most fans

When asked about security concerns, Chow acknowledged the need for a ticketing system, but argued that should not automatically mean charging everyone to attend.

“I think the staff had advice from the security team. They said that it needs to be ticketed in a way so they can control the number of people coming in.”

Her solution keeps ticketing in place, but removes the cost barrier, she said.

The staff report to be debated today notes that “approximately 80 per cent of tickets will be reserved for general admission at no cost to the public, including 500 tickets per day (11,000 total) that will be dedicated to community organizations at no cost, to allow for further access.”

The remaining 20 per cent will be held for “premium ticketing” to “generate approximately $3 million in revenue,” staff say.

“I’ve always said that it needs to be free. It should be free, and it will be free, and I hope council members will support that direction,” Chow said Wednesday.

Chow says “a supplementary report” is now before council with further details on how a free ticketing system world work.

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What else is Chow asking from council?

The original staff proposal argued that charging fans to attend would also help offset some of the financial burden of roughly $9 million that is tied to expanded programming, safety and operations.

Now, Chow is asking for the city to “seek out private sponsorship to offset costs incurred in doing so.”

Council is also being asked to expand the city’s operating budget by $9 million with the expectation that third-party funding and festival revenues will balance the books.

Chow points to other Toronto watch parties

While not everyone may visit the city’s Fan Fest, the mayor notes there will be plenty of other chances to get in on the action.

“By the way, the City of Toronto have given small grants to local business improvement area, local soccer clubs. They are hosting free watch party all across Toronto, every ward will have a watch party,” she said.

That approach aims to ease pressure on the main venue, which is expected to hold about 20,000 people, while ensuring access across the city.