24 September,2024 01:02 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
A Coldplay concert
The weekend saw lakhs of people logging into the ticket streaming platform BookMyShow to secure tickets for British band Coldplay's upcoming concert in Mumbai. The band will be returning to the country after eight years and the excitement among fans was through the roof. However, a large majority was unable to secure tickets as they got sold out within seconds. Such was the demand for the tickets that within an hour of opening ticket sale, the band added another show in the city for January 21 and DY Patil Stadium. However, even a third show was not enough.
Amid the demand for tickets, soo third-party sites started selling the tickets at inflated rates. The rates were hiked by 10-15x on these sites. However, BookMyShow had cleared that they are the only exclusive platform authorised for the sale of tickets for Coldplay. With lakhs of people unable to secure tickets, frustrtion mounted on social media, most of them directed at BookMyshow.
On Tuesday, BookMyshow put out a statement dissociating themselves from third-party sites like Viagogo and Gigsberg. "BookMyShow has no association with any ticket selling/reselling platforms such as Viagogo and Gigsberg or third party individuals for the purpose of reselling of Coldplay's Music Of The Spheres World Tour 2025 in India."
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"Scalping is strictly condemned and punishable by law in India. We have filed a complaint with the police authorities and will provide complete support to them in the investigation of this matter. "
"We urge you not to fall victim to these scams. Any tickets bought from unauthorised sources will be at the risk of the consumer and can turn out to be fake tickets," the concluded.
In a statement, BookMyShow spokesperson said, "Today is a landmark moment in India's live entertainment history as we saw true fandom, overwhelming love and incredible excitement on BookMyShow for Coldplay's Music Of The Spheres World Tour 2025 in India. With 13 million (1.3 crores) fans eager to get tickets and logged in, emotions ran high - some celebrating while others were left disappointed."
"At BookMyShow and BookMyShow Live, we've worked hard to ensure every fan had a fair chance to secure tickets, providing clear, step-by-step booking guides and maintaining transparent communication through all our official channels. We implemented a queueing system to manage the overwhelming demand and addressed issues caused by suspicious and malicious traffic within minutes, causing a brief delay, but ensuring minimal disruption for genuine fans. Due to the unprecedented demand, a third Mumbai show was added shortly thereafter, which also received a fantastic response. To those who got tickets, congratulations! For those who missed out, we understand your disappointment and are committed to bringing memorable entertainment experiences your way."