Why DOES Glastonbury announce so late?

[bennyhana22]

OK, so it produces 1000s of headliner thread pages.

It gives us a chance to worship at the Church of St. Neil, and then for some arses to have a pop when he gets something wrong for the first time in forever.

Yes, it increases the mystique of the whole shebang.

But...

Given that GF is one of the earliest in the season; given that it sells out in 5 seconds; given that it is likely to do so for the foreseeable future...

Why in buggeration does it insist on announcing so (relatively) late?

Latitude announces most of the big stuff a week from today, and occurs a month later. Reading and Leeds announced their (excremental) line-up today and they occur around Christmas time as far as I can tell. End of the Road occurs at the...er...end of the season. We already know most of who's playing there.

Yes, I know that for those festivals under more pressure to sell, the longer you give the public, the greater the promotion, the greater the sales yada yada.

But I still don't get it.

So, guys, explain it to me.

Ben

Edited February 24, 2015 by bennyhana22

[Woffy]

Because it can?

Tickets have already sold out.

Edited February 24, 2015 by Woffy

[Bobs]

i personally wouldn't change it.

It's something which makes it so unique for me, and well, it's exactly that.

I'm no expert and don't know the out's and in's, but i imagine with there being 100s of stages to finalise, that they still have to sort them all out, which obviously is a lot harder than 3-4 stages at V/R+L/T etc... It adds to the suspense, which i think is good, and the guessing, especially on here brings a rather good unity, which in my ipinion gives people to talk about, at least that's the case for me.

No better surprise, than comign home from work to the message on efests of 'It's coming'! All that Radio One, Vlogg crap, can stay with the others. It's boss, I wouldn't change it for anything.

[Mardy]

because bands/promoters want to flog tickets for their own tours first, and if punters know they can see a band at Glastonbury, they won't shell out for concert tickets

[Matt42]

It's always worth it when it drops

[bennyhana22]

Because it can?

Tickets have already sold out.

That explains 'how', Woffy - no 'need' to announce to create ticket sales. but not why?

They know now that tickets will be gone in a flash. With the improvement in servers, one imagines it won't last 30 minutes again.

So, why then wait until six months later?

I can understand waiting until the new year, maybe spring approaching and everyone getting excited, but why so late?

Ben

[bennyhana22]

because bands/promoters want to flog tickets for their own tours first, and if punters know they can see a band at Glastonbury, they won't shell out for concert tickets

That's a good answer, Mardy. Well done, you.

Ben

[bennyhana22]

It's always worth it when it drops

I don't doubt that, Matt.

Still doesn't quite explain it, for me!

Ben

[Bisque]

It doesn't need to... so therefore we get that mega announcement & this forum goes into meltdown with threads about umpteen clashes, talks about DJs you've never heard of playing at 4:30am & that time Bodger & Badger played in the Kids Field.

[Dark Star]

Didn't it used to not announce until early/mid May? Seems to me the announcements get earlier each year.

[Matt42]

I don't doubt that, Matt.

Still doesn't quite explain it, for me!

Ben

You'l hear something in either March or April

Not much longer

[Alcatraz]

I wonder how many instances where Glasto headliners haven't been finalised by T-Day, or indeed right up until the point they're announced. Maybe that added time is helpful to GFL

[Mezhyp1]

To give us 6 months to talk shite and speculate who's going to play, just to be blown a away by what lays ahead

Edited February 24, 2015 by Mezhyp1

[incident]

Didn't it used to not announce until early/mid May? Seems to me the announcements get earlier each year.

Later than that. Until relatively recently, the main announcement came at the start of June, timed to coincide with the new issue of Q magazine.

[bennyhana22]

To give us 6 months to talk shite and speculate who's going to play, just to be blown a away by what lays ahead

*Answer most likely to be correct alert*

Ben

[UEF]

Because of the amount of time it takes to organise, but also the fact that the 'bargaining' required with the big acts is very last minute in a lot of cases.

Glasto pays less than other top festivals, so the festival and the bands have to wait until much closer to the festival, then it's a case of who will do it for what Glasto offers (and if they haven't had a better offer)

This is why when people are asking at the end of the year who's playing next year, it's a stupid question as often there's nothing to know.

[bennyhana22]

Later than that. Until relatively recently, the main announcement came at the start of June, timed to coincide with the new issue of Q magazine.

You see, I have no problem with the concept of the Big Reveal, and the way that it allows GF to stand apart.

But I do a sh*tload of 'homework' before a festival, exploring the undercard to within an inch of its life. A June announcement would kill me!

Ben

[Thearg]

I think its a lot down to money,if you have a big bag of cash you can book bands earlier and acts want to see who books them first so I would say a lot of bands say ok we've got the summer full now let's do glastonbury

[st dan]

I think it's because they can never really 'set it in stone' so to speak until relatively late. Artists will become available all the time and there will be a lot of moving around until the final lineup is revealed. I imagine they've got a huge pot of names who want to play .. And now it's the case of fitting who fits where best, along with adding any later additions along the way.

[grumpyhack]

because bands/promoters want to flog tickets for their own tours first, and if punters know they can see a band at Glastonbury, they won't shell out for concert tickets

Mardy's got it right. Because Glasto gets bands for a fraction of their normal fee the deal is often that they won't announce the bands early on so as not to impact on the band's own tours.

Usually the ones that come out early are because a band self-confirms, usually because they either have no tour or because that tour has already sold well.

[greenArmy12]

Not really sure on the reasons why but I personally wouldn't have it any other way, It's all part of the build up for me, checking everyday for new rumours and speculation and now where it's starting to hot up a bit is a great time, I just hate those July-August-September months, glad I don't go reading looks a bit guff doesn't it?

[Slugworth]

Because it can?

Tickets have already sold out.

This.

[deebeedoobee]

Why not? If you go to Glastonbury because of the headliners you really shouldn't be there.

[Fingle]

I remember my first time going and I didn't know until I was given the programme as I walked through the gate. We set up and I scrawled through it with a pencil drinking a cider and having a smoke. It was brilliant.

[michael eavis' beard]

Hasn't Michael Eavis said before that he likes the idea of it selling out without having to announce who's playing?