Want To See The Boss On The Cheap? Head to Tulsa… Or Not

Bruce Springsteen's concerts are legendary. At this point in his career, tickets aren't that cheap. Yet, somewhat bizarrely, you can see Bruce and his E Street Band for under $25 bucks a ticket if you're willing to take some time off in the middle of the week and hit the open road.

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Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band pull into Kansas City's T-Mobile Center on Saturday, February 18, 2023. Looking at Stub-Hub, for an artist of Springsteen's caliber there are some reasonably priced tickets. Upper-level, nosebleed seats behind the stage can be had for just over $100 on StubHub.

Some folks aren't fans of seats behind the stage, yet, they've never bothered me. In my opinion, it's a way to sit closer to the stage and get a birds-eye view of the concert from a different vantage point. It's not ideal, but really, in arena or stadium shows a lot of times it can get you closer to the stage than a lot of other seats.

$100 bucks to see the Boss isn't a bad price either. In some respects, I still think it's too expensive for a show. Yet, with a performer like Springsteen, you're going to get your money's worth. You could spend a lot more.

If you're up for an adventure and can take a couple of days off in the middle of the week. You can get tickets to see Bruce Springsteen for those behind-the-stage seats I was talking about for under $25 in Tulsa.

The Boss brings his rock n roll show to Tulsa, Oklahoma on Tuesday, February 21, 2023, at the BOK Center. Tickets currently start at $22 and go up from there on StubHub. Do a little searching, and as of this writing, you might be able to find a slightly better seat (still behind the stage) for about $40 bucks.

A road trip from Sedalia to the BOK Center according to Google Maps has the drive taking just over four and a half hours. It's not impossible to do the trip on a budget. Drive in that day. Grab a bite for dinner. See the show. Then roll on back home.

Accounting for gas, food, snacks, and tickets I'm thinking the total cost for a couple to see the show would be around  $200. ($54 dollars for two tickets, $80 for two tanks of gas for my KIA Soul, $20 for road snacks/drinks, and $40 for an inexpensive dinner.) Street parking, if you can find it is free. A parking lot will cost you extra.

I don't know how realistic an in-and-out trip to Tulsa would be for many of us these days. I could have done it in my 20s, but I'm not sure it's all that appealing to me these days. So, let's look at how much overnighting in Tulsa will drive up the costs.

An overnight stay right by the arena, at the Holiday Inn Express, is running $301 with taxes and fees, and the Hampton Inn Downtown requires a two-night stay. These rates are according to Expedia. The Hampton Inn Catoosa, along Interstate 44 heading back towards Sedalia, will run you $111 according to Expedia. Depending on how adventurous you are, you probably could find a place for around $75 bucks. The rates for Airbnb aren't much better.

You add the hotel into the costs, and your trip to Tulsa is costing around $310, not including any extra fun money you'd want to have for spending the night in town. Not to mention none of the pricing I've outlined includes a beer or two at the show or hitting the merch stand.

In the end, if you're looking to see Bruce Springsteen on a budget, popping the $200 bucks for the tickets to see him on Saturday, February 18, at T-Mobile Center might come out as the better bargain. Or not cost you any more than traveling to Tulsa for the show. You'll be able to better control your costs. Spend less on gasoline. Or at least have more cash for beer, a nice meal in Kansas City, or to spend at the merch table. You can also drive home and sleep in your own bed.