Ticketmaster Faces Technical Issues During Taylor Swift Ticket Sale in France
Ticketmaster once again struggled to handle the high demand for Taylor Swift tickets, this time during the singer’s tour in France. Fans who were eager to purchase tickets for six concerts in May and June 2024 faced frustration as Ticketmaster’s website displayed an enormous queue of customers waiting to buy. One screenshot even revealed that over 1 million customers were ahead in line.
In response, Ticketmaster announced that sales for the shows had been put on hold, with a new on-sale time to be announced later. The company assured fans that unused codes would remain valid. However, several fans took to social media to express concerns about technical errors on Ticketmaster’s website, including a spinning progress icon that prevented them from completing their purchases.
A few hours later, the French branch of Ticketmaster addressed the issue on social media, attributing it to a “third-party provider” without disclosing its identity. The company clarified that tickets were still available despite the technical problems. A representative from Live Nation Entertainment, Ticketmaster’s parent company, confirmed that the provider only collaborates with Ticketmaster in France.
This incident in France echoes the problems experienced during Taylor Swift’s North American presale in November. During that presale, Ticketmaster’s systems were overwhelmed by an influx of fans and bots, leading to tickets disappearing from shopping carts before they could be purchased. As a result, Ticketmaster halted the public sale but claimed to have sold over 2 million tickets on a single day.
These ongoing issues, along with long-standing concerns about Ticketmaster and Live Nation’s market dominance, prompted a Senate Judiciary hearing in January. Senators from both parties criticized the company, labeling it a monopoly. Executives were questioned about Ticketmaster’s inability to defend against bot attacks during Swift’s presale.
The demand for Taylor Swift tickets remains exceptionally high, with the singer consistently selling out stadiums worldwide and tickets fetching thousands of dollars on the secondary market. After completing the North American leg of her tour next month, Swift will continue to perform in Latin America, Asia, and Europe.
Meanwhile, the Justice Department has been conducting an antitrust investigation into Live Nation, although it has not been officially confirmed. Live Nation’s CEO, Michael Rapino, has openly discussed the investigation.