The upcoming tour of India by British rock band Coldplay has sparked a police investigation and left fans disheartened after scalpers snapped up cheap tickets to resell online for over $1,000 each. Thousands of music enthusiasts attempted but failed to secure tickets for three concerts scheduled in Mumbai next January, which were sold through the popular Indian online ticket portal BookMyShow. All three shows sold out within minutes, leaving those who missed out frustrated when they saw $70 (6,000-rupee) tickets appear on resale websites at exorbitant prices.
"The tickets are being sold at 10 times, 20 times, 30 times the price that is being sold on the website itself," said 19-year-old student Anna Abraham in an interview with AFP. "I wouldn't feel good about it myself if I knew that I paid for something 30 times more than what I could have paid for." Local media reports indicate that BookMyShow's chief operating officer was questioned by police on Monday following a complaint filed by Mumbai lawyer Amit Vyas, who alleged that the vendor was colluding with "black marketeers" to profit further from ticket sales.
"I checked with nearly 100 people who I know are regulars at concerts, none of them had gotten a ticket," Vyas stated, according to the Indian Express newspaper. "This made me suspicious. I then decided to approach the police as I knew that something was amiss." In response to the public outcry that began last week, BookMyShow issued a statement asserting that it had "no association" with unauthorized ticket selling. "Scalping and black marketing of tickets is strictly condemned and punishable by law in India and BookMyShow vehemently opposes this practice," the company declared.
Controversies surrounding tickets for major international musical or sporting events are not uncommon. In 2022, US megastar Taylor Swift criticized Ticketmaster following fan outrage over sales for her 'The Eras Tour.' The incident ignited discussions about Ticketmaster's dominant position in the industry, amid fan complaints of hidden fees, rampant ticket scalping, and limited ticket availability due to presales.
