8-3-2024 (SINGAPORE) As Taylor Swift wraps up her final Eras Tour concerts at the National Stadium this week, fans continue to face ticket-related challenges and frustrations.
Following the opening show on March 2, concert organizer and promoter AEG Presents seemingly added extra seats to the top-tier VIP 1 sections for the subsequent nights. However, these additional seats were priced over 70% cheaper than the original VIP 1 seats.
VIP 1 seats, priced at $1,228 each, include exclusive VIP merchandise such as a set of four Taylor Swift prints, a laminate and matching lanyard, a commemorative tote bag, a souvenir concert ticket, a collectible pin, sticker, and postcard. In contrast, the newly added seats were categorized as Category 1, priced at $348 each, and did not come with the VIP merchandise.
Naturally, existing VIP 1 ticketholders expressed disappointment and frustration. One fan took to TikTok, sharing a video highlighting the issue and expressing concern that despite paying $900 more, they were not getting better seats. They purchased the VIP 1 tickets for the opportunity to be as close as possible to Taylor Swift. The video gained attention, with other commenters expressing similar sentiments and calling for a fair resolution from the organizers.
The Straits Times reached out to AEG Presents for clarification on the matter.
Although some fans are dealing with ticket woes, others are facing unpleasant encounters with scammers and scalpers. The police reported that since January 2024, at least 1,241 individuals have fallen victim to e-commerce scams involving concert tickets, with a majority of the cases related to Taylor Swift’s concerts.
One Singaporean fan shared her experience on TikTok, revealing that she had been scammed by a reseller on the online marketplace Viagogo. She entered the National Stadium with a ticket purchased by her friend, only to discover that two other people had the same seat. Security escorted her out of the venue.
Similarly, Thai influencer Chopluem Thammapunya expressed her disappointment on Instagram after discovering that someone else had already entered the venue using a ticket with the same number as hers.
@chopluemโดนโกงบัตรครั้งแรกในชีวิต คือช้อค พูดไม่ออก ไม่คิดว่าจะเกิดเหตุการณ์แบบนี้ ???? ปลื้มกับพี่ซาคือ ตั้งใจมาด้วยกันมากๆ รอวันนี้มาเกือบปีอ่ะ เพราะเพลงนี้ อยากมาร้องเพลงด้วยกัน???? เดี๋ยวปลื้มจะมาเล่าเหตุการณ์ใหัฟังว่าเพราะอะไร คนโดนโกงเยอะมาก seat เดียวกับปลื้ม ชื่อเดียวกันด้วย
In addition to scams, shady scalpers continue to resell tickets at exorbitant prices. One fan, Wendy Tan, recounted her encounters with such scalpers over the past week. Despite facing several attempts to exploit her, she eventually managed to purchase a ticket below the retail price for the March 4 show.
Ms. Tan, along with other genuine fans, expressed their frustration with scalpers taking advantage of dedicated fans who have invested significant amounts of money in flights and accommodations just to see their favorite artist perform.
