Eclectic English pop sensation, Harry Styles, announced his fourth solo album, Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally. and the accompanying “Together, Together” tour.
The tour kicks off in Amsterdam on May 16, continuing through London, Brazil, and Mexico before a 30-show run at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The tour concludes in Australia with dates in Melbourne and Sydney.
In anticipation of a “Ticketmaster War,” two presales were released, each with specific requirements. Among these options was an artist presale that required a pre-registered code linked to your Ticketmaster account. The other option was an Amex presale, which is exclusive to American Express cardholders.
What is amex presale?
Amex presale is a collaborative offer between the bank and a live event. The deal applies to specific venues, artists, locations, etc., and can often grant the cardholder certain perks.
To access this form of presale, there is no code required; you simply go to Ticketmaster and enter your Amex card details.
The partnership between American Express and Styles is not shocking. Amex offered presale deals for Styles’ 2021 Love on Tour show. Recently, Amex has also sponsored pop-ups for Styles’ wellness brand, Pleasing.
Collaboration between artists and banks in an attempt to sell tickets is not a foreign concept at all. A$AP Rocky recently announced his “Don’t Be Dumb World Tour,” with special presale available to those with a Cash App credit card. In the same vein, Taylor Swift offered a Capital One presale for her esteemed Eras Tour.
While the concept of an artist partnering with a major bank to sponsor a tour and draw in audiences is not unfamiliar, is it ethical?
Is it ethical?
The ethics of presale tickets have come under scrutiny lately, with several fans complaining about queues that seemed endless and unmoving, almost as if there were no exclusivity. On social media, fans also complain that “true fans” are not getting tickets. Unfortunately, Styles himself can’t gift every person who’s been a fan since his audition on The X Factor a ticket.
In my opinion, the true ethical gray area arises when card-specific presale offers are added. In a Rolling Stone article about Styles’ presale, they mention the Amex offer, with an accompanying paragraph explaining how the writer adores their Amex Platinum card. They also detail how easy it is to sign up for one and “get approved in minutes!”
There is an immediate implication to sign up for a card just to get access to these concert tickets. As mentioned above, if you are a die-hard fan of Harry Styles, A$AP Rocky, Taylor Swift, and concerts in general, you would have signed up for three credit cards just for the chance to get a ticket.
Concert tickets are becoming increasingly difficult to obtain due to dynamic pricing and bot purchases. Presale options were introduced to make it easier for fans to see their favorite artists. Additionally, credit card debt is at an all-time high, according to CBS. I foresee a major ethical dilemma resulting from a combination of desperate concertgoers, an apparently easy way to obtain tickets, and a major financial decision.
FInal THoughts
There’s currently little research on the ethics of cardholder-specific presales, but the trend raises real concerns about who ultimately gains access to live music. As banks become gatekeepers to concert tickets, affordability and financial responsibility are increasingly intertwined with fandom. While Styles’ “Together, Together” tour is not the sole offender of this situation, it could be the perpetuation of an unethical trend.