When it comes to live concert events, ticket prices are the primary deterrent among fans, according to a recent reader poll conducted by Billboard.com. The publication’s summer touring survey, conducted online July 19-26, received responses from 642 people.

Seventy-two percent of those respondents cited ticket prices as their main reason for skipping a favorite act’s live show. Other reasons for missing a show included not hearing about the event (15 percent), not liking the venue (9 percent) or having recently seen the artist in concert (4 percent).

The music magazine’s results echoed those reported in an unrelated survey published by Rasmussen Reports in late July. The telephone poll service conducted its own concert-related survey of 5,000 adults over the course of July 11-12.

Out of Rasmussen’s respondents, 70 percent said that concert tickets are priced too high. In another question, 37 percent of respondents said they wouldn’t pay more than $25 for a ticket, while another 35 percent said $50 was the maximum they’d pay and 12 percent drew the line at $75 per ticket.

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Based on those numbers, it’s no surprise that the concert industry has struggled this summer. According to a mid-year report from Pollstar, the average ticket price was $60.77 for the Top 100 North American Tours. That’s down from the 2009 average of $64.61 reported by Pollstar, but it’s still well above the top ticket prices preferred by most Rasmussen respondents.

Throughout the summer 2010 season, numerous touring acts have faced cancellations ranging from a few concerts to full tours. Rihanna, American Idols Live!, Lilith Fair and Jonas Brothers are among the most recent acts to cut heavy portions of their 2010 itineraries.

While Billboard.com’s survey didn’t delve into the topic of specific ticket price levels, both the music publication and Rasmussen covered ticket buyers’ preferences between buying from the primary and secondary ticket markets.

According to Billboard.com, 76 percent of concert-goers buy their tickets online through the primary seller and 15 percent go straight to the box office. Only 6 percent of fans bought through online secondary sellers, with eBay and StubHub listed as examples in the Billboard.com poll, while 3 percent bought directly from a ticket reseller.

Rasmussen’s poll also asked ticket buyers about the source of their tickets. Forty-two percent of those questioned said they bought their tickets online, while 22 percent said they went straight to the box office. An additional 7 percent of individuals polled said they bought from a ticket broker, though Rasmussen Reports was not clear whether that number indicated only in-person transactions, or whether that number also took into account broker-based transactions online.

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