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SXSW Interactive registration prices spike again for 2012
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For the second year in a row, South by Southwest Interactive registration prices have increased sharply in comparison to the rest of the festival. For 2012, early-bird registration, which ends on Sept. 23, went up from $450 to $595, an increase of about 32 percent. Walk-up rates for Interactive again rose $200, from $750 to $950, a nearly 27 percent increase over 2011 rates. For the first time, Interactive and music early-bird registration cost the same and this year, Interactive walk-up rates outpace Music by $200.
Music registration for 2012 stayed flat, $595 for early-bird registration and $750 for walk-up. Film registration rates rose slightly from $375 to $395 for early-bird registration and $550 to $595 over 2011.
The Interactive rate increase apparently affects Gold and Platinum badge registration. Gold early-bird goes from $650 to $795, but walk-up increases from $950 to $1,150. Platinum increases from $900 to $995 for early-bird and from $1,250 to $1,395 for walk-up, a nearly 12 percent increase.
Director of the festival Hugh Forrest explained the rate increases in an interview with the American-Statesman on Friday, saying that they reflect Interactive’s place in relation to other high-profile tech festivals.
The SXSW site was on Friday in “soft launch” and was already showing off a new design as well as registration rates. It’s also accepting Interactive Awards nominations. On Thursday, SXSW announced its first Interactive keynote speaker, Baratunde Thurston. The site officially goes live on Monday.
Last year, the festival said the rate hikes were in part an attempt to get people to register early and to avoid a surge of late registration, which made for crowded conditions at the 2010 festival. 2011 was no less busy, with record registration and talk of possibly capping attendance at the festival even before it started. That may come again for 2012.
Edited at 10:30 p.m. Sunday to add link to new story on SXSW pricing and to edit information about fest director Hugh Forrest, who spoke to the American-Statesman about this story on Friday. A correction has been added to the original story.
Past registration prices:
2009
Interactive: $375 early-bird, $495 walk-up
Film: $300 early-bird, $450 walk-up
Music: $550 early-bird, $695 walk-up
Gold: $550 early-bird, $695 walk-up
Platinum: $850 early-bird, $1,145 walk-up
2010
Interactive: $395 early-bird, $550 walk-up
Film: $325 early-bird, $475 walk-up
Music: $595 early-bird, $750 walk-up
Gold: $595 early-bird, $750 walk-up
Platinum: $920 early-bird, $1,225 walk-up
2011
Interactive: $450 early-bird, $750 walk-up
Film: $375 early-bird, $550 walk-up
Music: $595 early-bird, $750 walk-up
Gold: $650 early-bird, $950 walk-up
Platinum: $900 early-bird, $1,250 walk-up
2012
Interactive: $595 early-bird, $950 walk-up
Film: $395 early-bird, $595 walk-up
Music: $595 early-bird, $750 walk-up
Gold: $795 early-bird, $1,150 walk-up
Platinum: $995 early-bird, $1,395 walk-up
Edited 10:30 a.m. Saturday to fix Gold early-bird pricing for 2012 in blog entry and in the chart.
Permalink | Comments (9) | Categories: Austin, Internet, SXSW, SXSW 2012
Comments
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By mdlonghorn
July 30, 2011 6:31 PM | Link to this
SXSW is without a peer as the largest (in terms of tangible attendance and intangible influence) PRIVATELY-OWNED music and media showcase anywhere on earth, and has been for at least a decade.
No one really ought to complain too much about the privately-held aspect of SXSW because, on its own, it's difficult to criticize the profit motive in Texas.
But, what is MOST EGREGIOUS is the fact that the very same private owners of SXSW, Louis Black, Nick Barbaro and, to a lesser extent. Roland Swenson, also own the alternative weekly journal, the Austin Chronicle, which creates a natural and undeniable conflict of journalistic duties and the appearance, if not the fact, of conflicts of interest.
Put another way, how can Black, Barbaro and Swenson look their Chronicle readers in the eye and say that they have no vested interest in how the city of Austin regards their 10 day takeover of downtown Austin, and how their weekly news-rag covers city hall? SXSW could not exist without the cooperation of the pols at city hall; how does this fact influence the editor(Black) and publisher (Barbaro) in their decisions to report and comment on city hall politics?
Quite a lot, I would say.
By James
July 30, 2011 7:22 AM | Link to this
Hopefully, SWSX will eventually price itself out of the market so the wanna-bes stop coming and all the events associated with SXSW diminish to nothing!
By Omar Gallaga
July 29, 2011 4:29 PM | Link to this
Geraldoh - I'm pretty sure SXSW has never billed itself as a non-profit event/organization.
By geraldoh
July 29, 2011 3:56 PM | Link to this
Great, more scarce tax dollars to be wasted on security for an immensely profitable non profit event. Talk about tax cheats and society and city council scofflaws.
By Tom
July 29, 2011 1:52 PM | Link to this
I would be totally okay with San Antonio getting SXSW. They can also have the ROT Rally. Also, please take our Californians.
By Omar Gallaga
July 29, 2011 1:23 PM | Link to this
Thanks, Erwin. I changed the graph headline and the lead of the post. Good suggestion.
By H
July 29, 2011 12:26 PM | Link to this
San Antonio has reportedly approached SXSW about moving there. That sounds ridiculous. SXSW not in Austin sounds like Mardi Gras not in New Orleans or something, but San Antonio could likely handle several times the attendance. I suspect that might become an attractive offer at some point. And really, for a lot of out of towners, Austin, San Antonio, same difference. I hope that doesn't happen, but I am starting to wonder.
By Erwin
July 29, 2011 12:00 PM | Link to this
Nice graphic, Omar.
However, please consider rewording the headline of the article and title of the graphic. I was several minutes into studying and reading when I realized "rates" meant "prices" and not "registrants". Then I had to start over.
Maybe it's just me, but "registration rates" sounds a lot like "rate of people registering".
By jenleereeves
July 29, 2011 11:43 AM | Link to this
My only reaction is: Boo. I'll be there... This will force me to raise my personal debt ceiling.