A shortsighted seat surcharge

Once again, arts organizations are determined to shoot themselves in the foot [“That Aisle Seat Will Cost You,” Dec. 26].

“If people are willing to pay more for an aisle seat, then it’s pretty irresponsible from a business standpoint not to charge,” says the Portland Symphony’s marketing director. In other words, greed is good, charge all the market will bear, and don’t worry about tomorrow.

But most symphonies get only about 30% to 50% of their revenue from ticket sales. The rest comes from donations. And how is the typical donor going to react when she finds out that the orchestra views her merely as revenue to be maximized, with no consideration for ethics and common decency?

Portland, carrying the foolishness to absurd extremes, has even removed discounts for “kid-friendly matinees.” Brilliant. Twenty years from now, when they discover they no longer have an audience, maybe they’ll figure out that those matinees were a loss leader for building the future. But by then it’ll be too late, and the orchestra’s management will no doubt bewail the lack of support for the arts, completely missing that it was their shortsighted actions that drove patrons away.

Geoff Kuenning

Claremont