Taylor Swift’s highly anticipated concert tour has sparked concerns among Australian fans who fear they may encounter a ticketing nightmare similar to what occurred in the United States.
Online discussions have been buzzing with fans expressing frustration at the soaring prices of tickets, as well as the additional expenses of flights and accommodation.
Many fans in the US experienced lengthy waits in virtual queues, only to discover that they were forced to resort to third-party resale sites due to limited availability at original prices.
With Taylor Swift scheduled to perform in just two Australian cities, fans from across Australia, New Zealand, and parts of Asia will be competing for tickets to only five shows. Unlike the US, where fans had access to a system for earlier ticket purchases, Australia lacks such a mechanism.
As a result, both local and global fans, along with scalpers, will be scrambling to secure tickets simultaneously.
Kate Pattison, PhD Candidate in Music Industry at RMIT University, said “the demand for Taylor Swift’s concerts is so high that I can’t imagine that there won’t be ticketing issues in Australia.”
“Yesterday’s AMEX presale, which was only for cardholders, has already crashed several times, which isn’t promising for the general sales.”
“Australia has better laws around resales, which will hopefully mean that the resale prices can’t get up into the thousands.”
In the US, many Swifties who couldn’t afford scalpers’ prices or fell victim to scams resorted to creating a marketplace on Twitter to buy and sell tickets at face value. This initiative gained significant traction, accumulating over 185,000 followers and highlighting the immense demand for Taylor Swift’s concerts and the dedication of her fanbase to supporting each other.
However, even if scalpers are effectively countered, ticketing challenges are likely to persist. To prepare for purchasing concert tickets, fans can take certain measures.
“If you are going to buy concert tickets, you can prepare by:
- Having your payment details saved within your account and have a backup option available so you can check out in the quickest time possible.
- Knowing exactly how much you’re willing to spend, as the longer you take to decide, the higher the chance of them running out.”
As the excitement builds for Taylor Swift’s Australian tour, it is important for fans to remain informed and vigilant during the ticketing process. The experiences of fans in the US serve as a reminder of the potential challenges that lie ahead. By staying prepared and following these recommendations, fans can maximize their chances of securing tickets to experience the magic of Taylor Swift live.
Kate Pattison is a PhD Candidate in Music Industry at RMIT University. Her research focuses on online pop music fandom, with a particular emphasis on fans of Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, Delta Goodrem, and BTS. In her previous work, she also delved into the Taylor Swift fandom, exploring fan identities in her Honours thesis titled “Reputation: Negotiating fan identities in the Taylor Swift fandom.”
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