The Perfect Ticket Price

Welcome to Behaving Creatively, a podcast miniseries from Audience Alchemy exploring the intersection of behavioral science and the performing arts.

In this episode, host Josh Aviner sits down with Mike Rafael from Nexus Ticketing Solutions—one of the industry’s leading experts on the economics of live performance. Together, they pull back the curtain on the surprisingly complex world of ticket pricing strategy.

Learn how dynamic pricing models go beyond discounts to match the right price to the right seat at the right time, and how tools like data analytics, AI, and behavioral science are transforming the way tickets are sold. From anchoring and social proof to the psychology of holding back seats, discover how human behavior shapes both audience perception and bottom-line results.

If you've ever wondered why ticket prices change—or what makes a show feel "worth every penny"—this episode is for you.