Taylor Swift has consumed the nation, with millions of Aussies yet to secure a ticket to the singer’s history-making Eras Tour.
With the general sale of tickets on Friday being their last chance, Swifties have become more determined than ever, scanning the internet for tips to make sure they don’t miss out after two hard-fought pre-sales earlier in the week.
9Honey Celebrity decided to take some weight off the shoulders of dedicated fans by seeking some insider intel from Ticketek directly.
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After the pre-sales saw Swifties going to great lengths to secure tickets – using multiple devices and logging on hours earlier, locking themselves in conference rooms, and blocking out work meeting calendars to make sure nothing distracted them from achieving their goal – we’re here to help.
Below are some answers to the burning questions fans have had about the ticket-buying process, ahead of the final sale.
How does the Ticketek lounge work?
The mysterious world of the Ticketek lounge has sparked interest among fans who are curious to know all the quirks of the site.
However, the Ticketek spokesperson said there’s not secret way around the waiting bay. nor a special trick that can get you in faster.
“Once in the lounge and the on-sale has started, the system continuously checks whether there is an available spot for fans to be let in to purchase tickets to the event,” the spokesperson says.
“Ticketek’s technology is Cloud-based and built on Amazon Web Services, using industry leading technology.”
Should you log in earlier for Taylor Swift tickets?
Many fans who missed out on pre-sale tickets shared their frustration on social media, claiming they had been on the Ticketek site for hours prior to the sale kicking off.
However, the spokesperson told 9Honey jumping on earlier does not maximise anyone’s chance to get their hands on tickets.
READ MORE: Frenzy as more than four million Swifties fight for 450k tickets
“The randomisation starts once the on-sale commences, so there is no advantage for fans to jump on hours before,” they said.
“We recommend that fans log on 15 minutes earlier just so they are ready once the on-sale kicks off.”
Is it better to use my data or wifi during the sale?
As competitive ticket-purchasers will know, getting a seat at one of the nation’s most exclusive gigs can be a multiple-device project.
Our Ticketek spokesperson had little advice for this particular dilemma.
However, it seems logical to use WiFi on some devices and data on others, as this could provide a connection back-up, in case the Wi-Fi fails.
Should you open multiple browsers?
It wasn’t clarified whether having multiple Ticketek browsers open gives fans a better chance at a seat.
However, the spokesperson did note that despite popular belief, refreshing a browser was not helpful in the fight for tickets.
“Refreshing your browser does not increase your chances of getting tickets,” they said.
Does it matter if I use a work computer?
We’ve all heard claims that logging on to Ticketek at work at the same time as your colleagues can reduce your chances of ticket success.
However, the Ticketek spokesperson confirmed that if you have already made your way into the website’s lounge, you have already been verified as a fan (and not as a bot).
This means multiple people logging in from one office location can be verified as fans at the same time.
Phew.
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How can I avoid ticket scams?
The last thing a fan wants after fighting and losing out on tickets is to be scammed in the aftermath as they scan various group chats and websites seeking leftover tickets.
The Ticketek spokesperson didn’t share any official advice on how to avoid scams, however, others have spoken out with tips to prevent being tricked.
Speaking to The Guardian a Choice spokesperson, Jarni Blakkarly, warned that there are already ticket scalping websites saying they can guarantee tickets at inflated prices.
“The bigger the demand is, the bigger the ticket scalping is, the higher prices people are getting ripped off,” Blakkarly told the outlet.
“I’m sure these tickets will sell out in a matter of minutes when they go on sale, and there’ll be thousands of fans who want tickets who aren’t able to get them.”
Blakkarly told the publication of multiple cases in which desperate fans are left without tickets or show up to venues with fake tickets, only to be turned away.
This leaves the best option as buying tickets directly through Ticketek.
If people do try to find resold tickets, Blakkarly says “really high prices, unrealistic promises around ticket delivery or front-row seats” should be seen as red flags.
While Melbourne fans have the extra protection of the Victorian government’s crackdown on scalping, Sydney fans need to be extra careful.
On Tuesday, Victoria’s minister for tourism, sport and major events, Steve Dimopoulos, announced the Melbourne concerts had been labelled a “major event”. This categorisation activates a number of restrictions under the state’s anti-scalping laws.
READ MORE: Aussie Swifties pulling from housing deposit funds for tickets
The New South Wales government has not yet confirmed any anti-scalping provisions in place, nor extra measures taken amid the high demand for Swift tickets.
According to Frontier Touring’s website, tickets will only be able to be accessed via Ticketek’s apps.
It’s also reported the ticket barcode will activate just before the show and no physical tickets will be made available for fans at the door.
How many tickets are for sale on Friday?
The Ticketek spokesperson was tight-lipped about the exact number of tickets available for the general public sale, but we’ve attempted to do some of the maths.
Originally, it was found 450,000 tickets were available – the capacity for the three Sydney shows at Accor Stadium was estimated to be 250,000, while the capacity for the two Melbourne shows at the MCG was reported fit 200,000 fans.
Since then, however, Swift has announced an extra show in Melbourne and another in Sydney.
With Accor Stadium’s capacity at roughly 83,500 and Melbourne Cricket Ground’s at 100,024 per show, it’s predicted almost 200,000 more tickets will be available to fans during Friday’s sale.
The news came less than 24 hours after more than four million fans were sent into meltdown as the fought over less than 450,000 tickets.
While battling it out for the final tickets, Ticketek assured us fans would definitely not be competing with bots.
“We only allow genuine fans into the lounge for fair access,” the spokesperson noted.
“The security and the protections that we have in place will not let bots into the lounge.”
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How much do Eras tour tickets cost?
With Swifties known to put their money where their mouth is, ticket prices range from $79.90 to $379.90.
VIP packages begin at $349.90 for the We Never Go Out of Style Package, which includes an E reserve ticket, and go up to $1,249.90 for the It’s Been a Long Time Coming Package, which includes an A reserve ticket.
Did Taylor Swift announce more shows?
Due to ‘historically unprecedented demand’, the pop star has officially added two new shows to her Australian leg of The Eras Tour – one in Sydney, and one in Melbourne.
This brings her total number of shows up to seven.
Originally the Love Story singer was performing two shows at the Melbourne Cricket Ground – one on February 16, 2024, and the other on February 17, 2024 – but after heavy demand, Swift has added a third show to be performed on February 18, 2024.
For Sydney fans, the songstress will now be performing on February 26 at Sydney’s Accor Stadium, in addition to her previously announced February 23, February 24 and February 25 shows.
READ MORE: Cities snubbed as new Taylor shows announced
When do tickets go on sale?
General sale tickets will go on sale on Ticketek at 10am AEST on Friday, June 30, for all of Swift’s Sydney shows, and at 2pm AEST on Friday, June 30, for all of her Melbourne shows.
Ticketek are expecting heavy traffic, previously confirming to 9Honey Celebrity that Monday’s Amex exclusive pre-sale saw 800,000 people on their website by 9.30am, waiting to be let into the sale that kicked off at 10am.
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