Coldplay Concert Tickets Being Sold For Lakhs On The Black Market - Akhilesh Yadav Reacts
Samajwadi Party leader and Member of Parliament Akhilesh Yadav has expressed concern over the massive demand for Coldplay concert tickets in India, which has led to illegal sales at inflated prices. Speaking on the issue, Yadav stated that the overwhelming rush for advance bookings and the subsequent black market for tickets has become a significant problem.
“As soon as the booking opens, all the tickets get booked within a short time and then the news of those tickets being sold in black for lakhs, at 20-50 times the price, is a challenge at the level of governance and administration,” Yadav said. He questioned whether there is any government oversight to prevent these illegal sales and fake ticket rackets, adding that middlemen are profiting unfairly while both artists and the government suffer financial losses. “It is true that artists should get the right remuneration for their art, but in such an environment, the real money is earned by middlemen,” he noted.
Yadav further emphasised that art should be accessible to everyone, not just those who can afford expensive tickets. He argued that limiting access to entertainment to a few wealthy individuals undermines the true value of art. “The truth is that everyone should have equal rights to entertainment. If art is limited to the purchasing power of a few people, then it becomes just a business,” Yadav said.
The frenzy for Coldplay’s upcoming concerts in Mumbai highlights this issue. According to reports, over 1.3 crore people logged on to BookMyShow to try to secure one of the 1.5 lakh available tickets for the band’s shows in January 2024. Tickets sold out within 30 minutes, leaving many fans frustrated. To make matters worse, tickets quickly appeared on resale platforms at highly inflated prices, with some being sold for up to ₹10 lakh, far beyond their original price of ₹2,000 to ₹35,000.
Fans have voiced their frustration, with many pointing out that the resale of tickets at such exorbitant prices goes against the band’s intent to keep prices fair and accessible.
BookMyShow’s website and app crashed on Sunday (today) and the ticket sale was supposed to go live at noon but was delayed due to technical issues. The website and app were inaccessible for about 18 minutes which frustrated many users and some users faced issues booking tickets on the app as well. It was said that those who tried to book tickets have been added to the queue and confronted technical issues while completing the process.
However, after an initial technical hiccup, the BookMyShow app stabilised and began confirming ticket reservations. Meanwhile, social media was flooded with humorous updates from eager fans sharing their experiences about which number they stood in line to grab the tickets. Users and Coldplay fans stated that they were in the queue like a hornet waiting for rain.
