The internet shitstorm about the recently unveiled Titanium tickets for Cosplay Mania 2014 has already made the rounds in social media, with reactions ranging from gleeful to disgusted. There have even been calls by some to boycott the con — but what else is new?

From an economic perspective however, is this too much? Has Cosplay Mania crossed the line from reasonable ticket options to money-grubbing schemes? We did a quick cost comparison between Cosplay Mania’s Titanium ticket versus other events’ top tier options, and this is what we found out.

Anime Expo
Los Angeles Convention Center
Los Angeles, California, USA

Highest Ticketing Tier: Premier
Price: USD 175 ++ (approximately PhP 7,560)
Average Price Per Day: USD 43.75 ++ (approximately PhP 1,890)
Limit: Unknown

Benefits:

– hall entrance for four days
– exclusive ticket claim window and hall entrance
– advanced entry to the exhibit hall one hour before opening to the public
– preferred seating and front-of-line privileges to all panels EXCEPT autograph sessions
– one Main Event ticket to the performance of your choice UNLESS sold out
– a collectors edition lanyard
– an Anime Expo mini-poster
– 20% discount Anime Expo merchandise at the Dealers Hall
– access to shuttles/exhibit hall/panels/dance party/etc.

Cosplay Mania
SMX Manila
Manila, Philippines

Highest Ticketing Tier: Titanium
Price: PhP 5,000
Average Price Per Day: PhP 2,500
Limit: 10 tickets

Benefits:

– hall entrance for two days
– access to the Dealers Hall
– access and VIP seating at the Main Stage
– access and VIP seating at the Cosplay Mania JAM Concert
– access to all Meet-and-Greets
– limited edition poster signed by all Guests of Honor
– gift packs from partners
– custom event badge with their name and photo

Japan Expo
Paris-Nord Villepinte Convention Center
Paris, France

Highest Ticketing Tier: Prestige
Price: Euro 128 ++ (approximately PhP 7,175)
Average Price Per Day: Euro 21 ++ (approximately PhP 1,220)
Limit: 100 tickets

Benefits:

– advanced entry to the exhibit hall
– access to Category 1 areas (exhibits and autograph sessions)
– access to BERRYZ KOBO X C-UTE concert
– CD
– t-shirt
– poster

Anime Festival Asia
Suntec Convention Center
Singapore

Highest Ticketing Tier: VIP
Price: SGD 425 ++ (approximately PhP 14,950)
Average Price Per Day: SGD 142 ++ (approximately PhP 4,950)
Limit: Unknown

Benefits:

– premium position numbered seating to all three I LOVE ANISONG concerts
– three light sticks
– access to the AFA Exhibition for the first day
– access to the AFA Exhibition and the AFA Stage for the second and third day

Long story short, the Cosplay Mania Titanium tickets appear to be of good value, especially if your were intending to purchase separate tickets to all six Meet and Greet events anyway. However, if you are not a big fan of the Guests of Honor, then it’s no loss to skip the Titanium tickets in favor of Bronze or Silver.

At the end of the day, nobody is forcing you to buy the most expensive event tickets to the con if you can’t really afford them. It’s not as if ranting about the prices will convince the organizers to lower them to suit your needs (wants?) — after all, they also have to pay for airline tickets and hotel rooms and venue rentals and all that other stuff.

Understood? Good.