Taylor Swift is one of the biggest pop stars in the world, so whenever she goes on tour, tickets are in incredibly high demand. Her recent Eras Tour for her Midnights album has been no exception, with tickets selling out within minutes of going on sale. This has led to a massive secondary market for Taylor Swift tickets, with resellers marking up prices substantially.
What is ticket reselling?
Ticket reselling refers to the practice of buying tickets to concerts, sports events, or other live events with the intent to resell them for a profit. Resellers, sometimes called scalpers, will try to scoop up as many tickets as possible when they first go on sale from the official vendor. They then list the tickets for resale on secondary marketplaces like StubHub, Vivid Seats, or Craigslist at marked-up prices.
Ticket reselling often uses bot software to buy up large quantities of tickets faster than any human could. It has become a big business, especially for hot shows like Taylor Swift tours. Fans are willing to pay more than face value to get tickets, which drives up resale prices.
Why are Taylor Swift tickets being resold?
There are a few key reasons why Taylor Swift Eras Tour tickets are being resold in such high volumes:
- High demand – Taylor Swift has millions of fans worldwide who want to see her live.
- Limited supply – Stadiums and arenas only hold tens of thousands of people, while demand is in the hundreds of thousands or millions.
- Immediate sell-outs – Tickets frequently sell out in minutes, even seconds, leaving many fans ticketless.
- Profit potential – Resellers can make hundreds or thousands in profit per ticket due to scarcity.
Swift’s popularity combined with the small size of venues creates a huge supply-demand mismatch. Resellers take advantage of this by buying up tickets then retailing them to the masses of fans who missed out.
How much are Taylor Swift tickets being resold for?
Taylor Swift ticket resale prices vary by location and seat quality but are routinely marked up well above face value. Here are some example resale price ranges for her Eras Tour:
| City | Venue | Face Value Price | Resale Price Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | SoFi Stadium | $49-$449 | $250-$1,500+ |
| Chicago | Soldier Field | $49-$449 | $200-$2,000+ |
| New York | MetLife Stadium | $49-$449 | $300-$2,500+ |
As you can see, resale prices are routinely 4-10x the face value cost of tickets. Front floor seats are at the highest premiums, going for $1,000+ in many locations. Even upper deck nosebleed seats are selling for 2-3 times face value. Swift’s ardent fans are willing to pay these high prices to see her live.
What factors impact resale prices?
Some key factors that influence how high Taylor Swift ticket resale prices go include:
- Venue size – Smaller, more intimate venues mean steeper resale prices.
- Setlist – Cities where she plays more rare songs command higher prices.
- Tour announcement – Prices are higher immediately after a tour is announced then gradually drop.
- Location – Big cities like New York and Los Angeles have the most inflated prices.
- Seat location – Lower bowl and floor seats are exponentially pricier than upper decks.
- Opponent – For stadiums, who her tour mates are matters, Styles = higher.
Understanding when prices are inflated or dropping can help buyers time their purchases wisely when looking for resale tickets.
How can you get face value Taylor Swift tickets?
Scoring Taylor Swift tickets at original face value is very difficult with how quickly her concerts sell out. Here are some tips to improve your odds:
- Pre-register for Ticketmaster Verified Fan – This gives you early access to purchase tickets without competing against bots.
- Buy tickets immediately at the onsale time – Don’t hesitate or tickets will be gone in seconds.
- Target less popular locations – Smaller markets like Kansas City are easier than LA or NYC.
- Shop online and skip box office lines – Box offices move slower than web sales.
- Try for single seats – It’s easier to get 1 ticket than a group of 4.
Persistence, quick fingers, and good timing will be key. But also be prepared for the reality that landing face value Taylor Swift tickets is extremely competitive.
Should you buy Taylor Swift resale tickets?
Here are some pros and cons of purchasing Taylor Swift resell tickets:
Pros
- Guarantees you can attend the concert
- Lets you experience Taylor’s amazing live performances
- Opens up more date and city options
- Can get seats closer to the stage than you might via Ticketmaster
- Avoid the stress and time spent refreshing presale pages
Cons
- Very expensive compared to face value prices
- No guarantee resale tickets are legit or will work
- May still not get best seats despite high prices
- Fees, taxes, and shipping add even more costs
- Unethical to fund ticket scalpers
It’s ultimately a personal choice depending on your budget, ethics, and how badly you want to see Taylor perform live. There are valid arguments on both sides. As long as you buy from a reputable resale marketplace, you can usually avoid scams.
Are there alternatives to buying resale tickets?
If you don’t want to buy marked-up tickets from resellers but still want to see Taylor Swift live, here are some alternatives to consider:
- Wait for more tour dates – There’s a chance Swift will add more shows due to demand, creating more tickets.
- Find a presale code – Presales let you buy tickets before the general public.
- Buy last-minute from the box office – They may release hold-back tickets close to concert dates.
- Look for ticket giveaways – Radio stations and other promoters sometimes give away tickets.
- Hope for a sold-out re-release – Swift could re-release tour dates if she sells out too quickly.
These all take effort and luck but let you avoid spending thousands on resale tickets. Or you can wait years down the road and hope to buy tickets the next time Taylor goes on tour.
Conclusion
Taylor Swift tickets are being resold for astronomical prices, often 5-10x their face value. This is driven by extremely high demand from Swift’s global fanbase coupled with very limited venue capacities of just tens of thousands. Resellers take advantage of this supply-demand imbalance to make big profits, to the tune of hundreds or thousands per ticket.
Buying resale tickets guarantees entry to see Taylor on tour. But the ethics are dubious, and massive price markups put them out of many fans’ price ranges. Luckily, there are some alternative approaches to score face value tickets or see her perform live without enriching scalpers. With persistence and luck, it’s possible to get into a Taylor Swift concert without breaking the bank.