Coldplay Mumbai Concert
British rock band Coldplay, known for its energetic performances and soulful music, is set to rock Mumbai with its much-awaited concert as part of the “Music of the Spheres World Tour” in 2024. Behind hits like “Fix You,” “Viva La Vida,” and “Yellow,” this band has an immense following in India, and this concert is sure to be a sell-out affair. The euphoria seems to not die down as fans are fuming regarding the outrageous third-party ticket prices, selling for as much as ₹3 lakh per ticket, mainly on Viagogo.
Ticket Pricing Scandal
In a flash, fans rushed to buy the tickets when the announcement of the Coldplay Mumbai concert came in. Tickets were available online through BookMyShow, its official ticketing partner. There were prices starting from a relatively reasonable ₹5,000 and the premium experiences for the price of ₹40,000. Tickets sold out in minutes forcing most fans to look for alternatives on resale platforms like Viagogo.
It is here that things have gone sour and turned pretty frustrating. On the international online ticket exchange portal Viagogo, the ticket prices for Coldplay’s concert had crossed jaw-dropping ₹3 lakh per ticket. Fans felt totally ripped off by this substantial markup, which now reflects in the chatter on social media.
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Fans’ Anger
It has become more apparent with the kind of anger one feels among fans. Many aired their displeasure not only against Viagogo but also at large the prevalence of ticket scalping that has marred most recent major concerts. The connection between Coldplay and its fans is solid; indeed, it seems like only the millionaires are able to watch the band live now. Angered posts were plenty on the social media sites of Twitter and Instagram regarding the inflated ticket prices. #ColdplayIndia, #ColdplayMumbai and #ViagogoScam are trending which said how unhappy the fans were.
It is a dream to see @coldplay live, tweeted one fan. But ₹3 lakh for a single ticket? Who can afford that? Absolute madness!
However, despite this controversy, the demand for Coldplay tickets has not decreased. In fact, both the opening shows scheduled for Mumbai’s iconic “DY Patil Stadium” sold out within minutes of putting tickets up for sale. In response to such an overwhelming demand, the band members announced a third show in Mumbai which quickly sold out.
This makes the Mumbai leg of Coldplay’s tour one of the most awaited musical events of the year. The global fame of the band, combined with India’s enthusiastic fan base, has already ensured that the concerts are a talk of the town locally and internationally as well.
The Problem of Secondary Platforms
This is not the first time an incident like this has drawn attention to the resale platforms, such as Viagogo, where a fan can sell his ticket for an amount three times higher than the actual price. Though the platforms here claim to be supplying a legitimate service for fans who were not on time to get tickets in the sale, such hikes do look like exploitation to the common fan. Globally, Viagogo has found itself in legal battles and under investigations with plenty of questioning of its ethics.
This is not the first time that Indians face such problems. Similar complaints were already voiced during ticket sales for A-list concerts such as U2, Justin Bieber, and Ed Sheeran. Calls for better regulation of India’s concert-ticketing market are growing louder, especially as live performances by international stars become more frequent.
FAQs:
Q1: How much were the original ticket prices for the Coldplay Mumbai concert?
Original ticket price varies between ₹5,000 to ₹40,000 depending upon seating and experience chosen for Coldplay Mumbai concert.
Q2: Why are tickets so expensive on Viagogo?
Viagogo is a secondary site, so anyone who purchased tickets can sell the same, selling at a higher price. It even consists of sales by some sellers who have put their tickets up there at much higher prices, especially when it is a very in-demand show like Coldplay.
Q3: Are Viagogo tickets legitimate?
Where Viagogo is a legitimate resale platform, buying tickets from this kind of website comes with the risk. Always ensure to buy from the verified sellers and be aware of overpricing.
Q4: Is Viagogo selling tickets legally at such prices?
Technically, it has operated within legal boundaries as a resale platform. However, it had suffered several criticisms regarding the sharp mark-up of the tickets. Differences exist in the practices on resales when it comes to tickets between different countries.
5: Will Coldplay perform an encore in Mumbai?
Three concerts have been confirmed in Mumbai, which have already sold out. The dates are yet to be added as the fan and organizers haven’t confirmed that.
Q6: How would ticket scalping be prevented?
One of the solutions might be a more stringent regulation of the resale market, controlling the amount for which the tickets can be resold. Fans will also expect that the systems put in place on the official platforms will stop these bots from buying such large quantities of tickets.
Prominent among these is the biggest musical event of the year – the Coldplay Mumbai concert. The row that has blown up over ticketing has left many disappointed fans. With the excitement mounting for the live performances, hopes are that future events will find a way to balance fan demand with fair access.
