Ed Sheeran has spoken out after hundreds of fans expressed their anger at having their tickets to his UK tour cancelled.
Tour promoters, Kilimanjaro Live announced on Tuesday (22 May) that all tickets bought from secondary ticket sites like Viagogo had been cancelled, in a bid to crack down on “hugely damaging” ticket touts.
The singer kicked off his tour at Manchester’s Etihad Stadium on Thursday (24 May) but fans with secondary tickets were asked to pay £80 on the door – the face value of the ticket.
Over 10,000 tickets across the 18 date tour have been cancelled.
“It’s all being done properly I’m not trying to stitch fans up,” Sheeran told Newsbeat at Radio 1’s Biggest Weekend in Swansea today (26 May).
“People just need to start taking a stance and within two or three years companies like Viagogo are going to be kaput (no longer in business).
“Loads of acts are doing it, Arctic Monkeys, Adele, no one is OK with it.
“The fans are not OK with secondary tickets. Sometimes you can spend all that money and it is a fake ticket.
“I think it is just about being strong and not giving in.”
We asked @edsheeran about his ongoing battle against ticket 'touts'. #BiggestWeekend #EdSheeran #Swansea pic.twitter.com/MJ0BUeCzr2
— BBC Newsbeat (@BBCNewsbeat) May 26, 2018
Fans with tickets bought from Viagogo were met by Kilimanjaro Live reps at Etihad Stadium, and told that they are legally able to get a refund from the site.
“Everyone who has been through this process has been really grateful,” Ed’s manager, Stuart Galbraith told Newsbeat.
“We’ve had no complaints, we are just trying to make sure people don’t get ripped off. We will help you get your refund off Viagogo and other secondary sites.”
Check out the setlist and watch clips from Sheeran’s first night of tour here. He plays two more nights in Manchester before moving on to Glasgow’s Hampden Park National Park Stadium on 1 June.
Arctic Monkeys fans recently vented their frustration on Twitter after struggling to get tickets to their Royal Albert Hall show on 7 June, after there was a mix-up with ballot codes.
Frustratingly, tickets instantly appeared on secondary ticket sites, and are currently selling on Viagogo for up to £896.
However, the band has said that: “tickets will be invalid if sold or purchased through non official re-sale partners”.
Meanwhile, Ed Sheeran recently hit back at anti-abortion campaigners in Ireland after they used his track ‘Small Bump’ to promote their cause, saying: “I have not given approval for this use, and it does not reflect what the song is about.”
Today, Ireland voted to repeal the 8th amendment on abortion, which will decriminalise access to abortion in the country.