'Make Live Music Fairer': Coldplay Fans Urge Band to Ban Black Tickets for Mumbai Show

New Delhi: As fans witnessed an intense ticket booking spree on BookMyShow, from the site crashing to long digital queues, several unhappy fans took to the internet to express their frustration over the resale of tickets for the much-anticipated Mumbai concerts.

Initially, the British band announced only two shows in Mumbai, with tickets going live at noon on Sunday. However, many fans were left disappointed as the ticket limit was reduced from 8 to 4, and several anxiously waited in queues only to find out that all tickets had sold out.

After a third show was announced for the 21st of January, fans were reignited with hope, but chaos erupted once again. Many fans reached their turn but were still unable to purchase tickets.

Several fans were puzzled as ticket reselling sites began offering tickets just minutes after the official site opened. Some claimed that these tickets were being sold at prices up to 5 times higher than the original.

According to reports, a Coldplay India fan wrote, “Urge Coldplay to Prohibit Reselling of Their January 2025 India Show Tickets – Sign the Petition!”

The petition reads, “Loyal fans are left disillusioned as an overwhelming percentage of these tickets have been snapped up by ticket resellers who are exploiting their love for music and reselling them at an inflated markup, sometimes up to 10 times the original price.”

“…We’re urging Coldplay to implement preventive measures that deter ticket reselling, ensuring that real fans can share in the magic of their music. We are certain that the band shares our sentiment – that music should be for everyone, not just those who can afford inflated prices,” the petition added.

“This would reduce the outrageous markups currently being seen, making it possible for real fans to purchase tickets without paying exorbitant prices,” the petition further reads.

Fans are calling for a ban on the resale of tickets, as the internet has been flooded with disappointed comments from those unable to secure one.

“Help us make live music fairer,” they pleaded, urging other Coldplay India fans to “sign the petition and make their voices heard.” At the time of writing this article, 50 people had signed the petition, with a goal of 100.

Fans Appeal for Ban on Black Tickets

Coldplay fans are appealing to the band to implement a system allowing ticket holders to directly return unused tickets through official channels, which would help ensure that genuine fans have a better chance of seeing the band live.

While fans acknowledge that a complete ban on ticket resale might be difficult, they suggest capping resale prices and make tickets more accessible to real fans.

Several people took to X (formerly Twitter) to accuse BookMyShow of selling tickets to the black market.

In response, the ticket-booking platform posted a warning on X about ticket scams. In their post, they said, “Protect Yourself from Ticket Scams! Don’t fall prey to unauthorized platforms selling fake tickets for Coldplay’s Music Of The Spheres World Tour 2025 in India!”

The British band is set to perform on the 19th, 20th, and 21st of January at Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium.