Ticketmaster announces huge rule change for Taylor Swift ticket holders

Taylor Swift kicked off the Eras Tour in March 2023, and the singer has been performing for millions of her fans across the globe over the last twelve months. So far, she has played 83 shows with concerts in the US, South America, Asia and Australia. Her incredibly successful run has landed her with the highest-grossing world tour of all time, and recently Forbes announced that she had made her way onto their 2024 billionaires list for the very first time. 

While she is currently taking a well deserved break before she picks up her guitar and sparkly outfits again, Taylor will start the European leg of the Eras Tour in Paris on 9th May before heading to Sweden, Portugal and Spain, and then it'll be time for the UK Swifties to assemble. Hurrah.

Getting your hands on tickets for the gigs in England, Scotland and Wales was an extreme sport last year, with many fans losing out on the chance to see her live. However, those who were able to secure tickets after lengthy registration processes and enormous digital queues had questions about one of Ticketmaster's very strict rules.

Originally, those who had purchased a Taylor Swift ticket through the booking site were warned that the 'lead booker' - i.e. the cardholder who had paid for the tickets - would have to be present on arrival at the gigs. While this was initially put in place to deter ticket touts from buying and reselling tickets, it also meant that those who were gifted tickets by friends or family may be refused entry unless the cardholder was present at the venue. 

However, this week Ticketmaster announced that they would be scrapping the strict requirement for UK Taylor Swift ticket holders. In an email to buyers, they said that the 'lead booker' policy would no longer stand, explaining: "The 'lead booker' policy has been removed, meaning that the person whose name is on the Ticketmaster account used to purchase tickets is no longer required to attend the event. All other terms and conditions remain unchanged. We hope you enjoy the show!"

So, what does this mean for concert goers? Essentially, the 'lead booker' no longer needs to be present to gain access to the venue. In the FAQs section of their website, Ticketmaster answers 'Are The UK Shows ‘Lead Booker’ Events?' with: "There has been a change to the terms and conditions of sale for tickets purchased for Taylor Swift’s UK shows to remove the ‘lead booker’ requirement. What this means is that there is no longer a requirement for the lead booker to be present and attend the show alongside their accompanying ticketholders. This is a change made in favour of ticket buyers, making it easier for fans to use their tickets. Please note that this applies to shows in the UK and Ireland only."

Taylor will finish the Eras Tour in Vancouver, Canada in December and by then, she will have performed 152 shows in 54 cities. During her time in the UK, she'll be performing in Edinburgh, Liverpool, Cardiff and London. 

Are you ready for it?