For Coldplay fans, Sunday, September 22nd, was supposed to be a day of excitement, where dreams of witnessing the band live in their “Music of the Spheres” world tour would come true. BookMyShow had promised tickets to be available at exactly 12 PM sharp. But at 12:18 PM, when the sale actually went live, chaos unfolded. The much-hyped sale turned into an agonizing experience for many genuine fans, leading to nothing but heartbreak, frustration, and anger.
Here’s what went wrong.
The Queue Catastrophe
When the clock hit 12, many Coldplay fans flocked to the landing page, eagerly waiting for their shot at securing tickets. What they didn’t know was that the page, without displaying a queue number, was secretly generating queue IDs. Every time an innocent fan refreshed their screen—hoping for better luck—they were unknowingly pushed further back in line. It was a disaster, plain and simple.
Tickets for the first two shows on January 18th and 19th sold out within just 35 minutes. For many, it was too late before they even understood how this hidden queue system worked. And once again, resellers swooped in, snatching the opportunity to exploit fans’ devotion by selling these tickets at a staggering 10x to 20x their original price on platforms like Viagogo.
This isn’t just a matter of disappointment—this is highway robbery!
Resellers: The Predators in This Circus
While fans sat there in tears, some people—yes, you know who you are—took advantage of the system. These resellers, with no love for the band or appreciation for the art, have shamelessly hijacked the joy of true fans. They snatched tickets only to sell them at outrageous prices on Viagogo, feeding a black-market frenzy that’s preying on innocent fans’ dreams.
And let’s not pretend Viagogo is offering you anything close to a real guarantee. At best, it’s a reselling platform, and buying through it doesn’t even guarantee you’ll end up with a valid ticket. So, not only are fans being forced to pay outrageous sums, but they’re also taking a massive risk.
The question is: How long will we let this black market thrive?
Reselling concert tickets at such scandalous rates is not just unethical; it’s downright cruel. The Coldplay community is one that’s built on love, emotion, and connection. It’s infuriating that the reselling vultures have turned what should be a joyous event into a money-making scheme. And while the organizers have acknowledged the issue, reminding fans that BookMyShow is the only authorized seller, the damage is already done.
The Third Show: A Glimmer of Hope (and Learning)
Thankfully, Coldplay and BookMyShow added a surprise third show, offering some relief to those who were quick enough to catch on to the auto-queuing process. But this doesn’t excuse what happened. The whole debacle left many true fans out in the cold.
So, Who Is Really to Blame?
The ticket resellers are undeniably greedy and ruthless, but this situation highlights a broader issue. Was this poorly designed ticketing system not begging to be exploited? We must ask, where was the fraud detection team when all of this was happening? If the system can’t distinguish between real fans and opportunistic resellers, isn’t it time to rethink how such sales are conducted?
BookMyShow, we are looking at you. Perhaps a fraud detection team could have caught these resellers before they polluted the market.
The love for Coldplay isn’t a business deal—it’s an emotional investment.
In today’s digital world, with paper tickets being a thing of the past, fans are sent wristbands only days before the concert. Yet, even this process, which should secure the sale, is now under attack by third-party sellers.
How do we prevent this from happening again?
Maybe it’s time to adopt more stringent methods that don’t just create unnecessary hype but rather ensure a fair and honest chance for everyone. Music is meant to heal, connect, and inspire. It’s not meant to be auctioned off like a commodity for personal gain.
To the true fans who were left heartbroken—your love for the music is real, and you deserve so much more. To the resellers: shame on you.
And to the organizers and platforms—BookMyShow, it’s time to step up and protect the fans.