The recent Eras Tour presale by Ticketmaster has caused major controversy and backlash from Taylor Swift fans. The presale was filled with technical issues, long wait times, and incredibly high ticket prices that locked many fans out from being able to purchase tickets.
What happened during the Eras Tour presale?
The presale for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour began on November 15, 2022. However, it was immediately plagued by website crashes, long wait times, and error messages that prevented many fans from purchasing tickets. Fans reported wait times of over 8 hours just to access the website. Once they accessed the website, many fans encountered error messages saying there were no tickets available despite waiting in the queue for hours. Overall, the presale was filled with technical glitches and lack of transparency over available tickets.
In addition to the website problems, fans were outraged over the high ticket prices. Floor seats were priced from $449 to up to $899 in some instances. Even the nosebleed seats in the upper decks were priced from $199 and up. For international shows, tickets costs were converted to much higher local currency rates. The high demand coupled with the limited ticket availability drove up prices to astronomical levels that priced out many loyal Swift fans.
What caused the technical issues and high prices?
The technical issues were caused in large part by the overwhelming demand for Taylor Swift tickets. Experts estimate that over 3.5 million people tried to access tickets, which overwhelmed Ticketmaster’s website and ticketing system. They were unprepared for the massive influx of fans trying to purchase tickets all at once.
In terms of the high ticket prices, Ticketmaster utilizes a “Dynamic Pricing” system that adjusts prices in real-time based on demand. The incredibly high demand allowed Ticketmaster to keep raising prices, sometimes up to 10% within a single day. Fans accused Ticketmaster of price gouging and creating a pay-to-play system that locked ordinary fans out.
What has been Ticketmaster’s response?
Ticketmaster has defended themselves by saying the prices were high due to the massive demand to see Taylor Swift. They claim they want to “bring more transparency around the pricing of live event tickets” and are just “following the plans created by the event organizer.”
They released a statement saying “We strive to ensure the limited quantity of tickets available per show reaches the maximum number of fans while also helping artists and teams get tickets into the hands of fans who intend to attend the event.” Ticketmaster essentially passed the blame to Swift’s team for setting the high prices.
What has been the fan and general public response?
To say the response has been negative would be an understatement. Fans are outraged, disgusted, distraught, and feel betrayed by Ticketmaster. The presale was a debacle that left the Swiftie fandom enraged.
Criticism has come from everywhere including fans, parents, attorneys general, politicians including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and media personalities. A main critique is that Ticketmaster has a near monopolistic control over major concert venues and ticket sales.
Many are calling for Ticketmaster to be broken up or for regulations to increase competition in the industry. There is widespread unity that what happened is unacceptable and exemplifies everything wrong with corporate greed.
Here are some key fan reactions:
- Fans waited for hours just to be kicked out and denied access to tickets
- Only the wealthy had a real chance to get tickets at astronomical prices while ordinary fans were shut out
- The presale system feels rigged against fans and designed to maximize profits
- Swift’s music means so much to fans and they feel betrayed they can’t see her perform live
- Anger at Ticketmaster abusing their power and control over the industry
Will this impact Swift’s reputation or career?
This debacle has certainly rattled the Swift fandom, but it seems unlikely to severely impact Taylor Swift herself long-term. She is tremendously popular. Her fans know she cares deeply about them. This presale was organized by Ticketmaster, LiveNation, and the concert venues – not Swift herself.
It’s also worth noting Swift previously criticized Ticketmaster in 2015 when they withheld tickets from general sale for her 1989 Tour. She likely does not have complete control over Ticketmaster’s policies or prices.
Some fans are disappointed in her for partnering with Ticketmaster again. But true Swifties recognize Ticketmaster is to blame here. This situation could lead Swift to reconsider using Ticketmaster for future tours. Her career remains very strong with her new Midnights album already achieving massive success.
Will Ticketmaster make any changes or reforms?
Ticketmaster has not indicated any specific changes coming from this controversy yet. However, the public pressure is immense. Lawmakers are getting involved to potentially regulate the ticketing industry. It seems likely some reforms will need to be made.
Potential changes that have been suggested include:
- Capping ticket prices and fees
- Increasing transparency around ticket availability and pricing
- Preventing secondary resales over a certain price
- Allocating a certain percent of tickets to general public sale
- Utilizing a lottery system or waitlist for high-demand shows
- Breaking up Ticketmaster’s share of venues and promoters like LiveNation
Ticketmaster will likely have to make concessions like these to quell public anger and avoid legal action. The pressure on them is immense following this fiasco.
Conclusion
The Eras Tour presale was an epic failure that justifiably outraged Taylor Swift fans and the general public. Ticketmaster’s technical problems and price gouging tactics unfairly shut many fans out. It has led to renewed scrutiny over Ticketmaster’s monopolistic control and demands for reform in the ticketing industry.
While Ticketmaster claims high prices are just reflective of demand, most view that as a mere excuse for corporate greed. This debacle damages Ticketmaster’s reputation, though has minimal impact on Swift herself long-term. Moving forward, regulatory changes and reforms seem inevitable following the public backlash. Ticketmaster’s unchecked power has finally received real challenge from Swifties and lawmakers alike.
Date | Event |
---|---|
November 15, 2022 | Eras Tour Presale – Failure due to website crashes, long waits, error messages |
November 15, 2022 | Tickets priced from $449 to $899 |
November 17, 2022 | Ticketmaster claims high prices due to demand |
November 17, 2022 onwards | Immense fan and public backlash towards Ticketmaster |