On November 1st, 2022, Taylor Swift announced what fans across the nation had been patiently awaiting for years, a tour.  Excitement rose even more when fans found out it would not be just any ordinary tour, but The Eras Tour, highlighting each of her different vibes and personas that she’s taken the world by storm with throughout her almost 20 years of fame. Junior Evan Flynn said, “I knew that I had to get tickets to it. My friends and I were jumping and screaming with excitement when we found out.” Many other supporters like Flynn far and wide were thrilled to get tickets and finally see their favorite artist perform after years, but at what cost?  

For the fans who would stop at nothing to get these tickets, there were early access opportunities set up.  These dedicated fans registered for presale tickets weeks in advance on Ticketmaster in effort to be one of the lucky registered users to be selected at random and receive a presale code.  Another presale option included using a CapitalOne credit card.  So, on November 15th, hopeful and prepared fans logged onto Ticketmaster, assuming to log off with the exhilarating feeling of getting these early access tickets.  Unfortunately though, for many this was not the case.  “I’ve been a fan of Taylor since I was little and I’ve been to a lot of her previous tours.  I was really excited to get to go with my cousin Christina for a fourth time because it’s become a tradition for us. I was really upset when the presale code my mom had wouldn’t work and I couldn’t get tickets and carry on the tradition,” said Junior Caroline Capuzello.   

Upon this disappointing day, rumors circulated the internet that there would be no way for anyone else to purchase tickets, as Ticketmaster’s software could not handle the overload of users on their site.  Although many thought that this was impossible, as Taylor Swift once said, “The rumors are terrible and cruel but honey, most of them are true.”  The regular sale tickets that were supposed to be sold on November 17th were no longer available, leaving even more fans crushed.  However, these fans will not give up without a fight, as they unraveled the monopolistic characteristics Ticketmaster possesses.  https://www.investopedia.com/ explains, “Company officials stated that the system crash was due to an unprecedentedly high number of people attempting to buy Taylor Swift tickets simultaneously. Their claim, however, fell on deaf ears, as ticket buyers and Swift’s fans continued to vent their anger and frustration on social media and other platforms and calling for authorities to break up the Ticketmaster monopoly.”  The relentlessness of Swift’s fans landed Ticketmaster a lawsuit.  Although this catastrophe was upsetting to many, hopefully it will result in a brighter future for ticket sales.