Then, all at once, I was in. I took a quick glance at the seating map and only a handful of two-seat options (for a friend and me) were available in the entire (enormous!) New Jersey arena. I clicked on a pair in the 100s level for $500 a pop and tried to check out.
These tickets are no longer available.
I selected another two seats on the floor (these ones pricier, at $700 each), and was greeted with the same message: effectively, Someone else nabbed them, you schmuck.
Nothing was left! The only available tickets were in the ultra-VIP “Buckin’ Honey Pit” right by the stage. As it turns out, if you’re willing to spend thousands upon thousands of dollars, money can buy happiness.
It’s no secret that concert tickets are fueled by a corrupt, capitalist system. At the end of the day, artists and venues don’t really care about what’s fair to the fans; they just want to make a buck. But new laws are slowly being implemented to stem the tide. Just last year, the House passed the TICKET Act, which would require sellers to list the total cost of a ticket (including hidden fees) before checkout, and require secondary sellers to provide refunds to customers in the event of a show’s cancellation.
I lingered on the Cowboy Carter Ticketmaster page, ready to admit my defeat. The show was sold out—for now. Perhaps I would try my luck again on the general sale date.
But get this: After a few minutes of staring at an empty seating map, suddenly, I saw two tickets pop up in the prime 100s section. Someone must have released them, or failed to check out in time. I clicked on them, furiously plugged in my payment information, and ta-da!
So, don’t lose hope, Beyhive. Play the waiting game, stay ready, and you just may be able to see the queen on-stage. Oh, and maybe swap out your modem.
