UF Student Government paid Roddy Ricch $350,000 for his concert with Joy Oladokun Feb. 8.
For the first time since 2020, Student Government Productions opened up its concerts to the general public.
“We opened to the general public to welcome members of the Gainesville community,” SGP Chairman Jake Siegel wrote in an email.
The concert was exclusive to UF students until Feb. 2.
The contract outlined a capacity of 6,500 tickets, but SGP didn’t announce whether there is a designated split of student and public tickets.
Students could purchase $10 general admission tickets or $15 pit tickets in-person at the O’Connell Center with their Gator 1 Card. Tickets are sold at Gate One from noon to 5 p.m. on weekdays.
Pit seats sold out the first day of sales, Jan. 25.
Non-student tickets can be purchased on Ticketmaster for $20, after taxes, as of Feb. 2.
In 2020, SGP held a Black History Month concert featuring Tory Lanez who was paid $91,500 for his performance. SGP wanted to bring performers who students and faculty enjoy and felt Ricch was a suitable artist, Siegel said.
Joseph Rodriguez, a 20-year-old UF junior studying sports management, bought pit tickets the first day of sales. The line wrapped around the arena as he left, he said.
Rodriguez is pleased with SGP’s decision to open tickets to the general public, especially after seeing Instagram comments requesting to do so, he said.
“I really liked how they took time to listen to us and actually change their policies,” he said. “I have a roommate that, he goes to Santa Fe, and he would love to go.”
Doors for the concert open at 6 p.m., and the show is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
Contact Maia Botek mbotek@alligator.org. Contact her on Twitter @BotekMaia.
Maia Botek is a third-year journalism major and Spanish minor covering student government this semester. Maia is from South Florida and enjoys the beach, spending time with her friends and learning about the environment in her free time.
