Taylor Swift concert organisers U-turn on lead booker ticket policy

Organisers have responded to worried Taylor Swift fans about a policy which could have prevented them attending The Eras Tour next year.

Following what fans are calling ‘The Great War’ to buy tickets for the highly anticipated tour, purchasers were left fuming after claims that a crucial detail about tickets to the star’s shows was left out at the point of purchase.

The megastar will bring her Eras tour to the UK in summer 2024, with three dates in Edinburgh.

However, after fans purchased the tickets, Ticketmaster sent the internet into frenzy as it stated on its website that the shows on June 7, 8 and 9 in the Scottish capital – alongside most of the other UK shows – have been labelled as “lead booker” events by Ticketmaster.

Under this label, the lead booker for the ticket order would need to attend the show in person, and the tickets cannot be transferred or passed on.

The lead booker is the cardholder for the order – the person named on the card used to pay for the tickets, and is the only name that Ticketmaster takes during the checkout process.

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The ticket seller’s website advises that those who cannot attend the event do not book tickets as a gift for someone else.

Friends and family who had purchased tickets for fans flagged that the policy may cause issues when it came to attending the shows, as tickets would not be able to be transferred.

However, the event organiser AEG has now clarified that fans will be able to transfer tickets closer to the tour via the official seller.

An AEG spokesperson said: “Fans will also be able to transfer their tickets via their approved ticket agent, so they can share tickets with friends and family who are also attending the concert. 

“Ticket transfer will be made available much closer to the date of the shows and fans will be notified by email when ticket transfer is available. Fans in the UK and Ireland will then be able to transfer all of their tickets.”

The organisers added that “any tickets found to be purchased via resale on the non-official secondary market will not be valid for entry into the concerts and will be cancelled in accordance with the terms and conditions of sale”.

However, authorised resale for tickets begins on August 1, 2023.

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The AEG spokesperson added: “The only way to obtain a valid ticket for Taylor Swift’s shows is via the approved ticket agents. In the UK, the approved ticket agents are Ticketmaster, AXS or directly through the venue’s website. 

“Any tickets found to be purchased via resale on the non-official secondary market will not be valid for entry into the concerts and will be cancelled in accordance with the terms and conditions of sale.

“Authorised resale for tickets begins on August 1, 2023. Through official resale facilities, ticket resale prices are capped to help combat the inflation of ticket prices and put a stop to ticket touting. 

“These resale facilities enable fans to sell their tickets with confidence and empower fans to purchase resale tickets with the assurance that the ticket they are purchasing is genuine.

“For more information, please refer to the terms and conditions of sale published on the website of your approved ticket agent.”

Ticket transfer terms are set by the event promoters and not directly by Ticketmaster.

Ticketmaster clarified promoters determine the rules and policies for their events, including whether tickets can be transferred

As the ticketing agent, Ticketmaster implements what has been decided by the event.