Fifty-two tickets and a funeral: the Albany ball that wasn’t

Albany campus may need a serious social-scene revival after just 52 tickets were sold for the long-awaited return of its ball.  

By comparison, Palmerston North sold just over 100 tickets, and Wellington hit 250. 

A Te Tira Ahu Pae spokesperson said the decision to cancel the Albany ball was made based on the prospect of losing $5,000 to run the ball for fifty-two students, or $1,000 in refunds and deposits.  

“I made sure we had additional funds put aside for any students who had put their own deposits down,” the spokesperson said.  

Only one student needed a refund for extra costs — a total of $4.90. 

“So, $4.90, I wasn’t going to get bent out of shape,” they said. 

The Wellington Labyrinth themed ball went ahead on Saturday (after we went to print on this article, but we’re sure it was great). And Palmy’s ball will go ahead this weekend, with a casino theme. 

The spokesperson said they believe cost of living was a huge factor in the ball’s flop, even with $65 tickets, students just can’t afford it. 

“Right now, when you don’t have disposable income, it’s very easy to become socially isolated because you can’t participate in what your friends are doing.” 

Going forward, Auckland events will focus on more wallet-friendly options — partnering with local bars, including food and drinks, and keeping tickets between $10 and $20. 

This year’s O-Week bar night drew around 150 students, proving casual and affordable events still pack a punch.  

“For me, one of the main goals we have when running events is to remove as many financial barriers as possible.” 

For Albany students, it seems the best nights out might be found at the bar, not the ballroom.