Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is one of the most anticipated concert tours in recent memory. When tickets went on sale in November 2022 for shows across the United States and Europe, fans rushed to get their hands on the coveted seats. This was no different in Ireland, where die-hard Swifties signed up in droves for the chance to see the “Anti-Hero” singer live.
But just how many Irish fans registered for the Taylor Swift ticket presale? Let’s take a look at the numbers.
Over 200,000 Fans Registered for Taylor Swift Tickets in Ireland
According to reports, over 200,000 people in Ireland registered for the Taylor Swift ticket presale through Ticketmaster. This staggering number shows just how dedicated Swift’s Irish fanbase is and how desperate they were to secure tickets to one of only two shows in the country.
Swift is performing just two concerts in Ireland as part of her Eras Tour. She will play Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on May 12th and 13th, 2023. With only two opportunities to see Swift live, Irish fans clamored for the chance to get tickets.
High Demand Caused Website Crashes
The huge demand in Ireland actually caused Ticketmaster’s website to crash multiple times leading up to and during the presale. So many fans logged on to try and get presale codes and secure tickets that the site couldn’t handle the traffic.
Ticketmaster tweeted on November 15th, “We want to apologize to Taylor Swift fans. Due to extraordinarily high demands on ticketing systems and insufficient remaining ticket inventory to meet that demand, tomorrow’s public on-sale for Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour has been cancelled.”
Extra Dates Were Added
Due to the astronomical demand, an extra Taylor Swift Dublin concert was added on May 13th. Even with the extra show, tickets sold out incredibly quickly, leaving many Irish fans ticketless.
Over 3.5 Million People Pre-Registered for Taylor Swift Tickets Worldwide
Ireland wasn’t the only country with massive interest in Taylor Swift’s tour. Over 3.5 million fans pre-registered for tickets across the US, UK, Ireland, France, Germany and Canada.
This made the Eras Tour Ticketmaster’s highest ever registration for any onsale in history. It beat the previous record held by Swift’s Reputation Tour in 2018 by over two million registrations.
| Tour | Pre-Registrations |
|---|---|
| Taylor Swift Eras Tour 2023 | 3.5 million |
| Taylor Swift Reputation Tour 2018 | 1.5 million |
Swift has broken countless records over the course of her career, further cementing her status as one of the most popular artists in the world. The demand for her tours continues to reach astronomical levels with each new outing.
Why is Demand So High?
There are several factors contributing to the sky-high demand for Taylor Swift tour tickets:
- Swift’s popularity continues to grow with each album and tour cycle. Her fanbase is unbelievably dedicated.
- She routinely puts on spectacular live shows with intricate production value and surprise guest appearances. Fans are willing to pay top dollar for the experience.
- There is pent-up demand from the pandemic. Swift has not toured since 2018, so fans are excited to see her live again.
- Her 2022 album Midnights sparked enthusiasm and acclaim from critics and fans.
- Scarcity drives demand. With only 52 shows on the whole tour, it’s tough to get tickets.
Ireland is clearly home to some of Taylor Swift’s biggest fans. The overwhelming registration numbers for her Dublin shows prove that Irish Swifties are eager to show their love and support.
Key Facts About Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour
As Taylor Swift gears up to embark on her Eras Tour, here are some key facts about what will surely be one of the biggest tours of 2023:
- There are 52 scheduled concerts across the US and Europe.
- The tour kicks off on March 17 in Glendale, Arizona and wraps up on August 9 in Los Angeles.
- Swift is the first artist in history to headline Los Angeles’ new SoFi Stadium for five consecutive nights.
- Opening acts include Phoebe Bridgers, girl in red, MUNA, HAIM, Gracie Abrams, beabadoobee, and Owenn.
- It’s estimated that over 2 million tickets were sold on the first day of the general public sale.
- Ticket prices ranged from $49 – $449 for regular seats and $899-$1,999 for VIP experiences.
- Fans who received presale codes were chosen based on their activity on Ticketmaster and Swift’s official online store.
Setlist Speculation
Since Taylor Swift is performing songs from throughout her expansive catalog on the Eras Tour, the potential setlists are virtually endless. While the final song choices remain a mystery until opening night, here are some guesses as to what she might perform:
- Old favorites like “Love Story”, “You Belong With Me” and “I Knew You Were Trouble”
- “All Too Well” (10 Minute Version)
- Tracks from Midnights like “Anti-Hero” and “Bejeweled”
- New arrangements of songs like “Shake It Off” and “Blank Space”
- Collaborations with special guests
- Deep cuts for her biggest fans like “Holy Ground” and “Getaway Car”
No matter what songs make the final setlist, Swift always finds a way to surprise and delight fans with her live performances. Her concerts are an entertaining journey through the different musical eras of her career.
High Ticket Prices and Resale Issues
Despite huge demand, many Taylor Swift fans were unable to get tickets to her Eras tour due to high prices and issues with scalpers reselling tickets.
Tickets on Ticketmaster originally ranged from $49-$449 for regular seats. But most remaining platinum tickets were priced from $199 to $995 after the presales. Prices reached astronomical levels on resale sites like StubHub.
Some fans reported tickets being resold for over $20,000 each! Here are the average resale ticket prices in some cities according to StubHub data:
| City | Average Resale Price |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $1,760 |
| Chicago | $1,642 |
| East Rutherford | $1,472 |
| Foxborough | $1,148 |
These exorbitant prices made tickets inaccessible for many lower income fans. Taylor Swift herself condemned scalpers and high resale prices, saying it really “pisses her off”. Legislation like the BOSS Act aims to prevent predatory ticket resales in the future.
High Prices Lead to Boosted Album Sales
Ironically, the high ticket costs did lead to a big boost in Swift’s album sales. Fans realized they could get presale ticket codes by pre-ordering editions of her latest album Midnights from her website.
Midnights went on to sell over 1.5 million copies in its first week. This was the highest first week album sales since Adele’s 25 in 2015. It also broke the Spotify record for most streamed album in a single day.
So for Swift, the tour ticket frenzy created some negative PR but also resulted in a hugely successful album launch. At the end of the day, much of the ticketing mess was beyond her control.
Taylor Swift’s Impact on the Music Industry
While the Eras Tour ticket saga has been chaotic, it demonstrates Taylor Swift’s massive influence as a live performer. Her ability to sell out stadiums around the world is unmatched in the industry right now.
Swift’s career highlights and impact include:
- Over 200 million albums sold worldwide.
- 11 Grammy Awards, tying her with Whitney Houston for the most wins by a female artist.
- 5th highest certified female artist in Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) history.
- Billboard’s Highest-Paid Musician of 2019 with $185 million pre-tax income.
- Her Reputation Stadium Tour in 2018 was the highest grossing tour in US history by a female artist.
- Named Billboard’s inaugural Woman of the Decade (2010s).
At only 32 years old, Swift’s accolades and achievements are astounding. She consistently breaks records and raises the bar. Her Eras Tour is sure to be another blockbuster success and highlight her tenure as one of the greatest live performers ever.
Possibility of a New Album in 2023
Swifties are hopeful that all this talk of various musical eras means Taylor Swift herself might release an entirely new album in 2023.
She dropped two surprise albums in 2020 with Folklore and Evermore. Then another shock album in October 2022 called Midnights. Is she planning something similar for 2023?
Fans have theorized she could release Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) or 1989 (Taylor’s Version) next. But insiders have hinted at the possibility of brand new music as well.
After the tour wraps in August, she may celebrate with an album to cap off this nostalgic journey through the musical epochs of her life. That’s just speculation, but with Swift, fans have learned to expect the unexpected.
Controversies Around the Eras Tour
Despite the excitement around Taylor Swift’s upcoming tour, there has been some controversy and backlash:
Environmental Impact
Some have accused Swift of hypocrisy for emphasizing climate change activism while planning a massive stadium tour. Stadium shows require lots of travel, resources, and energy. A study revealed that touring was responsible for 95% of Swift’s carbon emissions in 2018.
In response, Swift said sustainability efforts will be made around merch, transport, set design, and catering. Whether that’s enough is up for debate.
High Prices
As mentioned earlier, many fans felt completely priced out of attending The Eras Tour. Upper level seats ranged from $350-$450 before fees, while closer seats soared past $1,000. Fans have complained this contradicts Swift’s persona as an artist “for the people.”
However, others argue Swift doesn’t set Ticketmaster’s prices herself. She likely wants tickets affordable for all fans but lacks control.
Association with Ticketmaster
There was severe outrage against Ticketmaster for website crashes, long queues, codes getting eaten, and rampant resales. Swift partnered with Ticketmaster for the tour, so some felt she should share the blame.
Critics believe Swift should have ditched Ticketmaster given their history of fan exploitation. But Ticketmaster essentially has a monopoly in the industry.
Conclusion
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is undoubtedly one of the hottest concert tickets around. Over 200,000 eager Irish fans registered for the presale, with total tour registrations surpassing 3.5 million globally.
Demand has been historic for Swift’s long-awaited return to the stage. Yet many fans were left frustrated and empty-handed due to website problems, insanely high resale prices, and limited ticket availability.
The tour is poised to break countless records and establish Swift further as a legendary live act. However, controversy around sustainability, inclusivity, and corporate involvement has somewhat dampened the buzz.
At the end of the day, Taylor Swift is a once-in-a-generation talent. Regardless of the criticisms, the Eras Tour will be a monumental cultural event. Over two million elated Swifties around the world will soon be dancing and screaming to those iconic choruses once again.
