Despite desperate attempts, Coldplay fans in Malaysia are facing a tough time securing tickets for the rock band’s much-anticipated concert. A swift sell-out of tickets within a mere three hours on Wednesday left fans exasperated, while the pre-sale tickets exclusively for CIMB cardholders also vanished within hours the previous day.
Such is the demand for the concert tickets that an avid fan on Carousell, a local e-commerce marketplace, is ready to shell out a whopping RM111,111 for them. The buyer is particularly interested in Category 1 and Category 2 tickets, which initially cost RM1,288 and RM758 respectively.
The situation is proving to be a boon for scalpers, with some offering tickets for as much as RM43,000 each on Carousell. The British band’s concert is scheduled for November 22 at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, marking their first performance in Malaysia during their Asian leg of the Music Of The Spheres World Tour.
According to Live Nation Malaysia, the event organizer, ticket prices originally ranged between RM228 and RM3,088. Unfortunately, the lowest-priced ticket is now listed for RM1,749 on Viagogo, an online ticket marketplace, which is almost eight times its original cost. Other tickets on Carousell are also being sold at exorbitant rates, some even reaching RM3,000.
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Interestingly, the concert tickets have also found their way to Carousell in Singapore, with asking prices ranging from S$350 to S$8,000. On encountering a seller, the individual affirmed that the tickets were still in stock and prices could be negotiated.
Recently, Malaysia’s Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister, Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub, declared it unreasonable to resell a Coldplay concert ticket for RM43,000. The ministry, he added, would investigate reports of overpriced ticket resales under the Consumer Protection Act 1999, advising the public to refrain from purchasing a ticket sold at such a high price.
The concert’s pre-sale tickets witnessed a record-breaking virtual queue of 400,000 fans on the GoLive Asia ticketing website. Consequently, fans unable to secure tickets are clamoring for an additional concert by the band, tagging official accounts and initiating an online petition for a second show announcement.
Welcome to Kuala Lumpur! https://t.co/2mluuTo0iK
— Anwar Ibrahim (@anwaribrahim) May 9, 2023The news of Coldplay’s performance in the country was warmly welcomed by Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim earlier this month, who tweeted, “Welcome to Kuala Lumpur!”
This article is based on an article from The Star.
