Sold out in Minutes, Resold for Millions: Coldplay Tickets Spark Outrage in India
Coldplay’s upcoming Music of the Spheres tour in Mumbai has sparked widespread outrage as concert tickets, which sold out within minutes, are now being resold for exorbitant prices. Initially available through BookMyShow (BMS), the official ticketing platform, prices ranged from 2,500 to 12,000 rupees. However, resellers have since listed them for as much as 900,000 rupees ($10,800; £8,000), leaving fans shocked and angered.
More than 10 million eager fans vied for the 180,000 available tickets, but many reported issues such as hours-long digital queues and system crashes. Allegations have surfaced that resellers used bots and other tools to secure multiple tickets, even offering them for sale before they were officially released.
This has drawn comparisons to similar ticketing controversies, such as the recent Oasis concert in the UK, where tickets were resold for nearly triple their original value. However, the dramatic price hikes for Coldplay tickets in India stand out, dwarfing even the costliest concert passes for major artists like Madonna and Beyoncé.
Ticket Scalping Sparks Debate
Ticket scalping—where individuals or groups buy large quantities of tickets to resell at inflated prices—has become a contentious issue in India. Fans are questioning whether BMS took adequate measures to prevent this or turned a blind eye to the practice. Although BMS denies any association with scalpers and has advised fans to avoid buying from “unauthorised sources,” suspicion remains.
Similar issues were reported for upcoming concerts by Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh, with tickets disappearing quickly only to resurface at inflated prices on reselling platforms. Although ticket scalping is illegal in India, experts believe that some legitimate buyers may also be profiting by reselling their tickets due to overwhelming demand.
An Unchecked Market
The Indian live music industry is rapidly expanding, with concerts generating around 8 billion rupees in 2023 and expected to grow by 25% by 2025. The demand for international acts like Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, and Dua Lipa has led to rising ticket prices, further fuelled by targeted marketing and social media buzz.
Concerts, once primarily funded by sponsors, are now increasingly reliant on ticket sales. Brian Tellis, a veteran in the Indian music industry, attributes the surge in demand to both genuine music lovers and those swept up in the hype. “Attending concerts has become a mix of bragging rights and being part of the scene,” he says, noting that many attend for the experience rather than a deep connection to the artist.
Despite the growth, India’s concert infrastructure lags behind. The lack of world-class venues and limited concert dates mean artists perform fewer shows in the country, despite the huge fanbase. Those lucky enough to secure tickets, like graphic designer Dwayne Dias, have even considered selling them at a profit, highlighting the scale of the reselling issue.
The Road Ahead
As fans call for stricter government regulation to control ticket prices, Tellis argues against interference, viewing ticket sales as a form of entrepreneurship. “If you control revenue, you’ll have to control costs too,” he explains, suggesting that regulation could hamper the growth of India’s burgeoning live music scene.
While Coldplay fans like Dias are holding onto their tickets, concerns remain about crowd management and safety at DY Patil Stadium, the venue for the band’s Mumbai shows. Nonetheless, many are willing to face these challenges to see the iconic British band perform live in India—though at a staggering cost for those who missed out on the original sale.
