Sold out in minutes, resold for millions: Coldplay tickets spark outrage in India

Coldplay, the renowned British rock band, is gearing up for three highly anticipated concerts in Mumbai, India, scheduled for January. The excitement among fans is palpable, but there is a significant issue surrounding the ticket sales. The tickets for these concerts sold out in a matter of minutes, and now they are being resold at exorbitant prices on various platforms. If you were in India and had 900,000 rupees, which is approximately $10,800 or £8,000, you might be tempted to buy a ticket to see Coldplay perform live. Originally, the tickets were priced between 2,500 rupees and 12,000 rupees, but due to overwhelming demand, the prices have skyrocketed. Over 10 million people attempted to purchase just 180,000 tickets, leading to long digital queues and website crashes. Many fans have expressed their frustration, claiming that the ticket sales process was rigged, as resellers began offering tickets for five times the original price even before they were officially available on the ticketing site. This situation has sparked outrage among fans, who feel cheated by the system. Earlier this month, a similar incident occurred with another concert, where tickets that originally cost £135 were being resold for over £350. However, the price inflation for Coldplay tickets is particularly striking. For context, Madonna's VIP passes for her Celebration tour were priced at £1,306. 75, while the best tickets for Beyoncé's Renaissance concerts sold for £2,400. The situation has ignited a broader conversation about ticket scalping in India, where individuals use automated tools to bypass queues and purchase multiple tickets for resale. Fans are questioning whether the official ticketing site, BookMyShow, took adequate measures to prevent this practice or if they simply turned a blind eye. BookMyShow has denied any connection to resellers and has urged fans to avoid purchasing tickets from unauthorized sources, warning that such tickets could be counterfeit. Despite these reassurances, many fans remain skeptical about the integrity of the ticket-buying process. Similar experiences have been reported by fans trying to buy tickets for other upcoming concerts. Tickets for those events were also sold out quickly and subsequently appeared on resale platforms at significantly inflated prices. While ticket scalping is illegal in India, experts suggest that it may still be occurring. They also believe that some legitimate ticket holders are selling their tickets through resellers to profit from the high demand. Dwayne Dias, a graphic designer, is one of the fortunate fans who successfully purchased tickets from the official site. He bought four tickets for 6,450 rupees each. Since then, he has been approached by individuals willing to pay up to 60,000 rupees for a single ticket. Dwayne remarked, 'If I wanted to, I could sell all the tickets and watch the concert in South Korea. The money would cover my travel expenses and allow me to explore a new city. ' This illustrates the immense demand for Coldplay's live performances. While the inflated prices of Coldplay tickets are shocking, the high demand for tickets to see popular international artists is not a new phenomenon. The live music industry in India has been experiencing significant growth in recent years. According to reports, music concerts generated approximately 8,000 million rupees in revenue last year, and this figure is projected to increase by 25% by 2025. Brian Tellis, a veteran in the music business and one of the founders of the Mahindra Blues music festival, emphasizes that concerts have become an integral part of both individual and national cultural identity. Popular artists like Ed Sheeran, Alan Walker, and Dua Lipa have performed in India recently, with Dua Lipa set to return this year. Brian explains, 'India is a booming market for the music business. There is a large demographic of young people with disposable income, and everyone wants a piece of the pie. ' The soaring demand for concert tickets is evident in the rising prices and sales figures. Brian notes that a decade ago, sponsors covered about 80% of production costs, while ticket sales accounted for only 20%. Today, that ratio has flipped, with ticket sales now making up the majority of revenue. He adds, 'Attending a concert is not just about enjoying the music; it is also about social status and being part of the scene. While there are true music lovers, many attendees are swept up in the hype and do not want to feel left out. ' In the days leading up to the Coldplay concert ticket sales, social media was flooded with captivating videos of the band performing hits like 'Adventure of a Lifetime' and 'Fix You' in packed stadiums, with fans singing along and creating a mesmerizing atmosphere. Influencers shared their love for the band, and Coldplay memes circulated widely. Industry insiders have indicated that targeted marketing plays a crucial role in ticket sales, a task managed by the promoter's website. The more demand is generated, the higher ticket prices can be set. Organizing concerts can be challenging, as they often incur losses, so when a popular artist is available, promoters seek to maximize profits. While some fans argue that the government should intervene to regulate ticket prices, Brian disagrees. He believes that ticket sales represent entrepreneurship and that government involvement would not be appropriate. He states, 'If you want to control revenue, you also have to control costs. ' Despite the growth of India's live music industry, experts assert that the country still has a long way to go before it can compete with the international music scene. Brian points out that there are very few concert venues in India, and those that exist do not meet international standards. This is why artists perform fewer shows in India, despite the high demand. Dwayne and his friends recently traveled to Singapore to attend a Coldplay concert. He noted that the ticket-buying experience was smooth, the venue was top-notch, and the crowd was well-managed. He is uncertain whether he will have the same experience at the DY Patil stadium, the venue for the band's concerts in India. Dwayne expressed concerns about the smaller size of the venue and the potential for crowd management issues in India. He is also worried about safety and how well the crowd will be controlled during entry and exit. Nevertheless, he is holding on to his tickets and is prepared to face any challenges just to witness Chris Martin and the rest of Coldplay perform live once again.