Next Sunday, September 21st, 2014, The Boston Cup returns to the Boston Common. The third annual event is a kind of a show and Concours in one. Due to limited space this is an invitation-only even for the cars but it is open to the general public… for a price. The cars are gated off and the only people who have an closeup access are, as per The Boston Globe:

The only folks inside the barriers are car owners, show sponsors, and those who want to pony up $75 for a VIP ticket or $50 for inside access.

“We’re not pushing those tickets,” says Doucette [the organizer]. “Those are for the few who have the need or desire to be inside.

“Our business model is different from a show that is dependent on admission fees. Our funding comes from solid sponsors and the money is there for us. It costs $100,000 to put on the show and we donate $25,000 to the city.”

While it would be nice to see all those cars lined up a few blocks from my house, I am not willing to pay $50 per person to see them. They are likely to be cars that I have already seen at the various Larz Anderson events or the Greenwich Concours anyway. There are far more interesting things I can spend $200 on for my family of four. Thanks, but no thanks.

Having lived in this city for ten years and going to The Common frequently, I have never before seen an event such as this that required an admission fee. Furthermore, with sponsors such as JP Morgan, Sam Adams, RM Auctions, that thing has paid for itself and then some. It’s run by volunteers, but somebody’s generating cash. I couldn’t find one charity that The Boston Cup is donating money to and I consider the $25,000 to the city is rent, not a donation.

Image: factoryfive.com