Fans who want to see Springsteen on Broadway, Bruce Springsteen’s debut on The Great White Way, were angry on Wednesday after failing to secure tickets to the highly anticipated show. Some tickets were selling for over $6,000 on Stubhub even though Tickemaster attempted to prevent bots and others from reselling passes for exorbitant prices.
According to USA Today, fans who wanted tickets were encouraged to register with Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan platform several weeks ago. A random group was then sent a code via text message, enabling them to buy tickets before they officially went on sale.
However, the process caused a little bit of confusion. Several received messages saying they were on standby and needed to wait for news about whether additional tickets were available. An email by Ticketmaster stated, “due to extremely high demand, we are unable to confirm your access” to the sale. Prices ranged from $75 to $400 and $500 to $850. The company stressed: “Please keep in mind ticket inventory will be extremely limited and tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.”
Meanwhile, around 10 a.m., the official time tickets went on sale, they became available on Stubhub with prices rapidly escalating from $2,000 to $6,000. Fan Eric Black tweeted, “Nice job fighting those scalpers with @Ticketmaster #verifiedfan.”
Previews of the show will begin on Oct 3, and it officially opens on Oct. 12 at the Walter Kerr Theatre. The rocker will perform solo for two hours with spoken interludes five times a week. Fans struggled to buy tickets due to the show’s limited run and small setting—there are only 960 seats in the theater, and its run is over on Nov. 26.
Ticketmaster said in a statement earlier this month: “Springsteen on Broadway and Jujamcyn want to give Springsteen fans a unique experience and have chosen to play Jujamcyn’s small, intimate, Walter Kerr Theatre in New York. They care deeply about the fans and due to the intimate venue setting, there may simply be more fans who want to see “Springsteen on Broadway” than there will be available tickets. They are committed to getting tickets in the hands of fans, not scalpers or bots. It is a collaboration with Jujamcyn Theaters and Ticketmaster to sell tickets for Springsteen on Broadway exclusively through the #VerifiedFan platform – to level the playing field so fans get access to tickets.”
