|
The
faithful wanting to attend one of his ‘concerts’
during his upcoming ‘promotional tour’
to Britain this week will have to pay an entrance
fee. Cover Charge. Couvert Charge. Call it what you
may. |
And, if you are a fan, be prepared to be
bombarded with sales pitches to buy memorabilia commemorating
the event.
T-shirts, baseball caps and tea cups (Very clever. Covering
all the bases) will all be on sale as the church's ‘marketing
arm’ swings into action.
For the truly committed, a host of souvenirs
are on sale, ranging from a gold medallion emblazoned with
the official logo of the visit for a hefty £775 to
a t-shirt picturing Benedict with outstretched arms for
£18. Autographs? Photos?
But, don’t worry, the church insists
that this is not a ploy to make more money, and to prove
their point, the £25 ticket price includes your transport
and a "pilgrim pack" - a bag containing
a CD and a booklet about the visit.
The funding of the first ever state visit
by a pope to Britain is expected to cost around £20
million and has attracted controversy as taxpayers are footing
£10 to £12 million of the bill. Being in the
eventing business myself, I am extremely curious to see
the demands made in this superstar's rider. Chartered planes
for the entourage? Bentley's for ground transport? an entire
six-star hotel booked out for his holiness? solid gold crucifixes
in the dressing room? silk, platinum-ebroidered towels?
Holy water on stage?
Understandably, there is no mention in the
pre-event hype regarding projected profits.
Take note Andrew Loyd Webber. Benedict XVI
Superstar?
