Getting tickets to popular concerts and events can be incredibly difficult these days. With high demand and limited ticket availability, tickets often sell out within minutes. Many artists and event promoters have started using verified fan presales to try to get tickets directly into the hands of their biggest fans.
A verified fan presale allows registered fans early access to buy tickets before the general public sale. Fans must sign up ahead of time and get verified to gain access to the presale. This helps filter out bots and scalpers so more real fans can get tickets.
If you’re lucky enough to get verified for a presale, you may be wondering – how many tickets can I actually buy? Getting verified is just the first step – there’s still limited quantity and high demand during the actual presale. Let’s take a look at what factors determine your ticket limit in a verified fan presale.
Ticket Limits Vary Between Presales
There is no one universal ticket limit for all verified fan presales. Each event and artist can set their own limit on how many tickets a single verified fan can purchase. Limits are put in place so more individual fans can get the chance to buy tickets.
For extremely high demand artists like Taylor Swift, presale ticket limits might be as low as 2-4 tickets per person. Other artists and events may have higher limits in the 4-8 ticket range. Stadium concerts and festivals typically have higher limits than arena shows.
You’ll need to check the event information for the specific presale you’re in to see their stated ticket limit. This info is usually sent in the email confirmation you receive after getting verified. Limits can range from 2 per person on the very low end, up to 8-10 per person for high capacity events.
Factors That Impact Presale Ticket Limits
Some of the factors that cause event organizers to set lower or higher ticket limits for verified fan presales include:
Artist Popularity
The higher the demand for an artist, the lower ticket limits tend to be. Again using Taylor Swift as an example, her incredible popularity means tickets are in extremely high demand. Lower limits like 2-4 per buyer gives more individual fans a shot at getting seats.
Less popular artists may have higher limits, but still usually cap limits around 6-8 per buyer. Even if demand isn’t astronomical, they still want to reach a wider range of fans.
Venue Size
The size of the venue also impacts limits. A smaller arena show with just 10-15k capacity will have lower limits than a 50-60k stadium show. When the overall pool of tickets available is smaller, limits per person need to be lower.
Stadium concerts and festivals with huge capacities can safely offer higher per person limits while still reaching many different fans. Small club venues sometimes have no limits because of their intimate capacities.
Tour Demand
Tours with lots of buzz and media hype often have higher demand. Tours like Taylor Swift’s first tour in years or bands reuniting for a tour after a long hiatus also see very high demand. Big milestone tours like a band’s 20th anniversary tour also drive up demand and lower ticket limits.
Lower profile tours with less buzz can have slightly more relaxed limits. But almost all major tours will still have 2-8 ticket limits to discourage resellers.
Presale Size
The overall size of the presale can also impact limits. Some artists use very wide presales, verifying tens or hundreds of thousands of fans. This allows them to enforce stricter limits so more fans can participate.
More exclusive presales with just a few thousand verified fans can safely increase limits a bit. There are fewer buyers competing, so each person can purchase a few extra tickets.
Buying the Ticket Limit
Just because a presale has a high ticket limit doesn’t mean every verified fan will actually be able to buy that many tickets. Limits refer to the maximum number you are allowed to purchase – not a guarantee.
Factors like incredibly high demand, a small reserved allotment for the presale, and technical issues can all prevent buyers from purchasing the full amount allowed. You may only end up with 2 or 4 tickets even if the limit was 6 or 8.
Buying the full ticket limit is most common with higher capacity events and less popular performers. Major artists rarely have enough presale ticket supply for every verified fan to buy 6-8 tickets each. Focus on buying whatever tickets you can rather than counting on the full limit.
Tips For Buying Presale Ticket Limits
Here are some tips to consider when trying to buy up to your verified presale ticket limit:
Check Presale Start Times
Often presales have a staggered start time, with verified fans broken into groups that can buy at different times. Be sure you know what time your specific presale begins and log in early.
Buying late in the presale greatly reduces your chance of buying the full limit as inventory dwindles. Try to buy in the first few minutes if possible.
Be Ready on Multiple Devices
Have the ticket sales page loaded on multiple devices like phone, tablet, and desktop a few minutes early. Buying from multiple devices gives you a better shot at getting tickets.
Make sure to use the same verified fan code on all devices when you first access the presale. Using multiple codes can get your tickets cancelled.
Prioritize Best Tickets First
Try to buy the best or most expensive tickets you can afford first. Those tend to sell out fastest. Once they are gone you may be stuck with upper deck seats or obstructed views.
Buying the full limit is less worthwhile if some of the tickets end up having poor seat locations. Go for quality over maximizing quantity.
Act Fast Through Glitches
Presales almost always have website glitches and waiting rooms during peak demand. Be prepared to push through errors and waiting screens to complete your purchase. Persistence is key.
The longer you wait, the more likely ticket inventory vanishes from your cart. Keep trying and don’t get discouraged by technical issues.
Have Backup Payment Methods
Another common presale issue is payments failing or getting declined in the rush. Have multiple credit cards or payment apps ready to use if needed.
It’s smart to use payment methods already linked to the ticket vendor’s system if possible. Adding new ones during the presale can complicate the buying process.
Is It Worth Buying the Max Limit?
Trying to buy the absolute max ticket limit in a presale does take extra effort and persistence. Is it actually worth it? Here are some pros and cons:
Pros:
- Allows you to bring more friends and family
- Gives you a better chance at more preferred seat locations
- Any extras can be sold or given away if needed
Cons:
- Harder to coordinate large groups at events
- Less chance to spread tickets across more fans
- Resale can be prohibited on many modern tickets
Buying the full presale limit makes the most sense if you realistically need that many tickets. Don’t buy extras just for the sake of it. Leave some for other fans to purchase too.
Is There a Way Around Presale Limits?
Some dedicated fans go to great lengths to try and bypass presale ticket limits. But most methods are dishonest and can lead to problems.
Using Multiple Presale Codes
Each verified fan is supposed to get just one unique code to access the presale. Some try using codes belonging to family or friends to doubly verify and get around limits.
Most ticket vendors cross-check orders against the buyer’s info and will cancel any duplicates made with multiple codes. Honesty is the best policy here.
Asking Friends to Buy for You
You could also have friends or family who were verified use their code to buy tickets for you in theory. But again, tickets are checked against the purchaser and may be cancelled if outside the stated limit.
Stick to the limits so more fans get a fair chance. You can try coordinating with others to buy larger groups, but within the set guidelines.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, any tickets you can buy in a verified fan presale are a win. Presales give dedicated fans a big advantage over the general public on sale. Just getting verified is a victory itself!
Be sure to check the unique limit for each presale and manage your expectations accordingly. Buying the full limit takes dedication. But following tips like logging on early, trying multiple devices, and pushing through glitches will maximize your chances.
Presale ticket limits create a fairer buying process for fans. Try to work within the system – not around it. Enjoy the show!
