Now we got Bad Blood! Furious Taylor Swift fans who forked out £1,400 for front row VIP seats are forced to sit several rows back – in latest tour chaos as airlines put on extra flights and ‘anxious’ fans slam struggle to get tickets
- Tickets for the Eras tour, on its US leg, have been notoriously difficult to buy
Furious Taylor Swift fans have revealed how they spent £1,400 front row VIP seats, only to be forced to sit several rows back in the latest chaos to grip Taylor Swift’s Eras tour.
Tickets for the tour, currently on its US leg, have been notoriously difficult to buy with an ‘unprecedented level’ of demand, leading to chaos and anger among fans.
Qantas, Australia’s national airline, has been forced to put on 60 new flights to meet demand for local concerts, while another report in Australia said there were mass sick days on the day tickets went on sale.
In the UK, fans went into meltdown this week when the ticket release was delayed, while Ticketmaster bosses in the US were forced into a groveling apology Swifties sued them for ‘fraud, price fixing and antitrust violations’.
However, an anonymous pair who were able to snap up tickets to see their favourite artist at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on April 15, have revealed how their experience was ruined.
They had bought the tickets six months earlier at an eye-watering cost of £1,463.86 ($1865.12).
On the day of the concert, the friends, both from Florida, excitedly made their way towards the front row only to find out they were actually sat three rows back.
They claim two rows had been added in front of the ones allocated for their tickets.
Taylor Swift performs onstage in Tampa, Florida during the Eras tour
Taylor Swift performs at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida
A pair of Taylor Swift fans were left disappointed after their front row seats ended up being three rows back
‘When we arrived at the stadium and to our seats at the end of the row, which were supposed to be front row at the end of the catwalk, we noticed row 9 was not front row,’ they alleged.
‘The promoter had extended row 7 and row 8. Row 7 was now the front row for our specific section.’
The pair were shocked and disappointed after paying so much and waiting so long for the event.
They said: ‘After the cost of the seats, subsequent fees, and insurance, we paid roughly $1865.12 (£1,463.86) for both tickets.
‘Our specific seats were VIP because they were front row.’
The pair think the seats they ended up with actually cost hundreds of dollars less.
Seating for the Taylor Swift concert inside the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida
Despite the fans being disappointed with their seat scenario, they had a great time
‘Overall, my experience wasn’t ruined. We enjoyed the concert as Taylor Swift is an amazing performer’
They said: ‘The rows that would have been behind us have scattered VIP seats, so we would have been able to pay hundreds less if we had truly paid for third-row seats.’
While at the concert they thought this must have been a mistake and say they went to explain what happened to the organisers.
‘We immediately went to the guest services and asked them why our seats were moved back. They ended up telling us that it was the promoter’s fault.
‘Guest services told us that the seats were added for Taylor Swift’s friends and family, but she has a tent on the floor specifically for that purpose, so this was not true.
‘There were cases at other venues where people were moved if their seats weren’t as described.
‘This was not the case for us and there were no accommodations made.
Read more: Taylor Swift fans are so afraid of missing out on UK tour tickets they are having ‘anxiety attacks’ – with Swifties facing agonising wait to get presale codes
‘We asked a girl in the extended row eight how she was able to get tickets, she said she had bought them the day of the concert for $1.2k.’
After the concert the pair say they contacted the ticket provider, who allegedly told them that nothing could be done.
They also say they contacted the Better Business Bureau to help with claiming their money back by contacting the ticket provider and Taylor Swift’s team on their behalf.
But they claim they are yet to receive a response from any of the parties involved.
This was the pair’s first experience of seeing Taylor Swift live after being fans since they were ‘old enough to walk’. But despite the seat issue, they still managed to have a good time.
‘We were disappointed that we did not receive the experience that we had paid for.
‘There were parts of the concert where Taylor Swift would walk to the end of the catwalk and perform in front of our section. If we had the front row as we originally paid for, I believe our experience would be better.
‘There were a few tall people who were now in front of us, which obstructed our view at times.
‘Overall, my experience wasn’t ruined. We enjoyed the concert as Taylor Swift is an amazing performer.
‘I believe if the promoter was going to add seats last minute, they should have added them to the last row on the floor so nobody would be at a loss.
‘I still love Taylor Swift and will continue to support her.
‘I believe this is not a decision she made on her part. I believe this was a decision made by the promoter.’
Business magazine Forbes revealed that the star’s Eras Tour is by far and away the top-grossing of the year
Meanwhile, British Taylor Swift fans have been so fearful that they will miss out on tickets for her forthcoming UK tour that they are suffering from ‘anxiety attacks.’
The singer’s supporters say that they were due to be sent presale codes on Wednesday to enable them to apply to see the tour next year. However, thousands say they are yet to receive the emails which would also tell them if they had a place on the waiting list.
One fan wrote on Twitter: ‘I am getting anxiety attacks from the stress of Taylor tickets! Has anyone got their email yet?’
Another wrote: ‘I am losing my mind, the Taylor Swift ticket sale for the UK is so COMPLICATED???’
Ticketmaster has not specified a particular time the emails will be sent, only that it will be by July 14 in a staggered system to make sure the site doesn’t get overwhelmed.
It comes as experts warn people not to accept offers of tickets outside the official routes of emails sent by sellers Ticketmaster and AXS.
Fans are urged to remain alert to fraudsters because they are a ‘highly attractive target for criminals’ due to the ‘phenomenal demand’ for her Eras Tour tickets.
Taylor Swift fans are adopting extreme strategies in desperate attempts to get tickets for her latest tour
Reaction: Fans waiting for codes took to Twitter to share their nervous anticipation as one wrote: ‘Send the emails!!!!’
Taylor Swift (pictured) fans are so fearful that they will miss out on tickets for her forthcoming UK tour that they are suffering from ‘anxiety attacks’
Hysteria has reached a fever pitch as one outraged fan told the Mail: ‘The UK fans specifically are being treated like second-class citizens.
‘Everywhere else in Europe, they have been told specifically what is going on.
‘They are told yes, you have got a ticket or you’re on the waiting list or no, you haven’t got one.
‘We’ve heard nothing, we are just in limbo in this country. We’re scrabbling around in the dark.’
Another person wrote on Twitter: ‘Trying to find information about how to get Taylor Swift tickets in the UK feels like trying to pass under a bridge and coming face to face with a goblin that only speaks in riddles.’
Earlier this week Ms Swift, 33, announced 14 new tour dates in Europe and the UK in addition to the concerts she had already had lined up in Dublin, Liverpool, London, Glasgow and Cardiff.
Fans have been adopting extreme strategies in desperate attempts to get tickets – including camping outside ticket offices and befriending Liverpool season ticket holders on Tinder.
Young women across Britain last month reported changing the location settings on their dating profiles to Liverpool to increase their chances of meeting a football fan in the area – so they can get their tickets from them when she performs next June.
One Twitter user wrote: ‘If you’re a single man in Liverpool and you’ve got an LFC season ticket, Tinder and Hinge are going to be crazy for you.
‘Every girl is looking for a guy with one so they can get their Taylor Swift tickets. I give these girls full respect for their effort in getting tickets.’
Another said: ‘I swipe right on Tinder when they say they have Taylor Swift tickets. No luck yet. I’ll totally match with someone terrible for me to be arm candy at the show.’
The tactic is just one of a number of extreme measures that Swifties – the nickname for the star’s millions of supporters – are going to in order to try and secure tickets.
READ MORE: I camped for 16 hours and slept on the street to secure tour tickets
One woman, who sat at her laptop screen for 12 hours waiting for the pre-sale only to be left empty-handed, took matters into her own hands, joining other fanatics in camping outside Ticketek’s retailer in Melbourne, armed with blankets, pillows and snacks.
She held out for 16 hours through freezing conditions and even an earthquake to get her hands on tickets for the singer’s show in Sydney in February.
More than 400 people had joined the queue behind her when she finally got her reward.
‘I’d do it all again,’ she said. ‘It was completely worth it, I’m going to have the best night ever.’
More Aussie fans were also seen camping out after general admission tickets for Swift’s shows in Sydney and Melbourne sold out in just hours last month after two pre-sales broke the internet earlier in the week.
‘Still 3 hours until the box office opens, but the vibes are immaculate,’ superfan Bec Sammut said in a viral TikTok video as she waited outside in the dead of winter.
‘Camping overnight at the Ticketek office for Taylor Swift tickets because that’s legitimately easier than getting them online,’ she wrote.
Others have been searching for divine intervention with one tweeting: ‘So desperate for Taylor Swift tickets I’m getting mum to go to mass to pray for me and my friends (I don’t have direct line to God that she has) (also don’t go to mass).’
Another desperate fan revealed how they’d tried ‘manifestation’ – the idea that mentally visualising one’s desires will help achieve their goals.
Aussie airline Qantas has added 60 new flights to their schedule and 11,000 seats, according to news.com.au.
Additionally, some trans-Tasman services will be upgraded from a Boeing 737 to a larger A330 aircraft.
The new flights include eight new trips to accommodate fans in New Zealand, booked between Christchurch and Sydney and Melbourne.
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