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Ticketmaster is bracing for what is likely to be high demand for tickets to Beyoncé’s upcoming Renaissance World Tour as the ticketing giant continues to face criticism for botching tickets for Taylor Swift’s Eras tour last year.
Beyoncé announced Wednesday that her first solo world tour since 2016 will begin May 10 in Stockholm, Sweden and conclude September 27 in New Orleans. The superstar will perform songs from her seventh studio album, Renaissance, which was released over the summer and is in the running for Album of the Year at Sunday’s Grammy Awards.
Ticketmaster said in a statement that “demand for this tour is expected to be high” and that it plans to use its Verified Fan system again to prioritize tickets for those who register on the platform. The company said the multi-step verification process will “ensure more tickets get into the hands of concert-goers” and “filter out buyers looking to resell tickets” and automated bots.
According to Ticketmaster and its parent company, ticket sales for the North American leg of the 41-date tour begin on Monday living nation. The company said fans looking to secure tickets in advance will have a better chance by registering with Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan system.
Ticketmaster said registration does not guarantee tickets and only verified fans, who later receive a code through a lottery-style selection, then have access on the sale date to participate in the sale. Registration windows vary by city, and the company warns, “There will be more demand than tickets are available.”
In November, verified fans of Taylor Swift’s Eras tour presale faced long waits, confusion, and technical glitches. Within 48 hours of the presale launch, Ticketmaster canceled general public sales, citing “extraordinarily high demands on ticketing systems and insufficient remaining ticket inventory to meet this demand.”
The company later said bots were at least partially responsible for the disruption.
Ticketmaster and Live Nation did not immediately respond to CNBC’s requests for comment Thursday.
Following the November meltdown, Ticketmaster and Live Nation came under renewed scrutiny over their 2010 merger, with politicians and competitors saying the ticketing site’s monopoly in the live music industry led to exorbitant ticket fees and poor customer service.
Senators heard testimony on the matter Jan. 25 when lawmakers from both sides of the aisle questioned Joe Berchtold, Live Nation’s chief financial officer.
A group of Swift fans are suing Live Nation, accusing the company of “anticompetitive behavior.”
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