"Laura Stein has set the TEDx licensee policy so that one cannot charge for attendance"
This is incorrect, when we organized TEDxCMU in 2010, Laura Stein told us that some other events had sold tickets to cover costs.
Here is an extract from the TED rules: " (TED will allow certain TEDx events to charge a small admission fee -- always under $100 -- to help cover the event's production costs. In order to charge an admission fee, you must obtain permission from TED first.)"