Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan presale for Olivia Rodrigo’s tour has added yet another complication: tickets purchased for her GUTS tour will not be available until 72 hours prior to the date of the show, and can only be accessed electronically.
The goal, the company explained, is to curtail high resale prices for the hot show.
“Delivery delays are commonly used by artists to allow for a thorough review of the sale and to ensure all purchasers have adhered to ticket limits and terms,” a statement from Ticketmaster said.
Fans had to jump through several hoops to even have a shot at tickets. First, they had to register as interested. Then, “Invitations” from Ticketmaster for the presale went out to a limited number of those who registered.
That invitation, with a verified code, wasn’t the final step. Ticketmaster indicated receiving an invitation provided an opportunity to shop for tickets, but the ability to actually buy those tickets was determined “by supply and demand.”
Demand for the tickets far exceeds availability, Ticketmaster added. The show has sold out, but fans who registered are on a “wait list” in the event more shows are added.
Ticketmaster was undoubtedly hoping to avoid the fiasco it experienced earlier this year with Taylor Swift ticket sales. In that case, the onslaught of hopeful ticket-buyers crashed the seller’s site, prompting Ticketmaster to halt the presale.
The debacle prompted lawsuits, congressional hearings and an angry response from Swift herself. “I’m not going to make excuses for anyone because we asked [Ticketmaster], multiple times, if they could handle this kind of demand, and we were assured they could.”
The ‘Guts’ world tour kicks off at the Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, Calif. on February 23 next year.
Tom Tapp contributed to this report.
