Fans are balking at purchasing tickets for Taylor Swift's Reputation tour given the high price tag attached to the seats. To say that they are unhappy is a mild way to describe their reaction, although some were very outspoken and criticized the singer on social media.
Swift sold her Reputation album for over a million within four days of its release on Nov. 10, so one would expect that ticket sales for the album tour would follow the same trend. Sadly, this does not seem to be the case. According to reports, not one of the 33 dates scheduled between the May 8 launch in Phoenix and the Oct. 6 finale in Arlington, Texas, has sold out on Ticketmaster.
A music insider told the New York Post that ticket sales for Swift's Reputation album tour have so far been a mega disappointment. There are still hundreds if not thousands of tickets left for every show, despite seats having been available to the public since the Swift's birthday on Dec. 13. This is contrary to the sales from her 1989 album tour in 2015, which reportedly sold out in minutes.
This is an expected turnout given the expensive seats for her shows. It is $500 for floor seats, $1,500 for VIP tickets, and $800 for pit passes. The cheapest is at $160 apiece for Swift's show at the NRG Stadium in Houston on Sept. 29 and another costs $230. If a fan wants to bring along a friend then she would have to spend between $400 and $500 for two tickets.
"Whenever I see an upper deck ticket priced above $200 for a football stadium tour I have a hard time imagining that fan will leave the show thinking they got their money's worth. Regardless of whether they bought that ticket on the primary or secondary market, $200 is a lot to spend on a seat literally in the rafters," Patrick Ryan, cofounder of ticketing and distribution company Eventellect, told Billboard.
Aside from the expensive seats, fans are also irked at Ticketmaster's "Verified Fan" program (rebranded to "Taylor Swift Tix"), which supposedly boosts the costumer's position in line to buy tickets. Some fans call it a marketing strategy to entice them to purchase Swift merchandise, including the $60 snake ring the singer wore in her "Look What You Made Me Do" music video and $50 for a T-shirt.
To get "further in line" to buy Taylor Swift tickets she wants you on buy merch from her. AHAHAHAHAHA this greedy snake I can't.
— Taryn Rosé (@Q_Taryntino) August 27, 2017
Likewise, frustrated fans called out the big drop in ticket sales after it went public. Those who purchased seats using the presale code had to spend over $400 apiece instead of $200.
Just FYI that if you want a verified front row seat to Taylor Swift it’s $7,000. Per ticket. This seems mildly excessive. — layne whitehouse (@laynewhitehouse) January 1, 2018
Two years ago, Taylor Swift's 1989 tour tickets sold out in only a couple of hours so she added more shows. Today, you can *still* get really well-placed Reputation floor seats. If that doesn't tell you your tickets are too expensive, idk what will.
— lex (@alexiam77) December 25, 2017
The old Taylor definitely can't come out to play. She's back in the country being a humble young lady who respected her fans and her base and would never charge over $60 for a ticket. The new Taylor is an LA created, materialistic, superficial cash hog @taylorswift13 — Bolas (@VoliBolas) January 2, 2018
You should have plenty of time to sell your wardrobe, get a part-time job and rake leaves in the neighborhood to be able to afford a $500 ticket for this humble girl of the people concert.
— Bolas (@VoliBolas) January 2, 2018
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