Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour is bleeding support acts and resale value as the Macklemore fallout deepens.
Resale prices for the Philadelphia date, set for this Saturday, have plunged 24 percent since Monday — from $126 to $96 — according to figures from TicketData cited by the outlet. Reports said the drop has since steepened to 29 percent, while overall resale prices across the tour have slid 11 percent in the same window.
A TicketData spokesperson said that some pre-show softening is normal for this run. “Some softening in the run-up to the show is not atypical for this tour.”
What is happening in Philadelphia, however, is testing those limits. “I think it’s safe to say that any further decline today would be a strong sign that demand, and ticket prices, are falling by a newsworthy amount, at least for that show,” they said.
The pricing collapse follows the mass exodus of Sheeran’s opening acts. Irish singer Aaron Rowe was first to quit, followed by Finneas, Beoga, and Danish pop band Lukas Graham — all announcing they would no longer appear on the remaining dates.
The promoter-level decision to remove Macklemore came after the rapper made an on-stage speech in which he stated “Free Palestine.” Macklemore, 41, later said in a statement that Sheeran had been placed in a difficult position when Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft issued what he called an “ultimatum” about his performing there.
Sheeran pushed back with his own statement, insisting the call to boot Macklemore was made by promoters, not him.
Macklemore has since pledged to donate his $1 million tour fee to six organizations he said are “working directly to support” people in Palestine.
The turmoil has left fans scrambling. In a Facebook group dedicated to selling tickets for the tour, several users vented that offloading seats had become nearly impossible. One reseller wrote: “I don’t wanna go anymore but it doesn’t look like anyone actually buys the tickets posted here.”
Another group member questioned why the market had frozen up for them.
The pain is not limited to Philadelphia. John Higgins, owner of Higs Tickets, said that sales for the Gillette Stadium show — the same venue whose owner Kraft applied the pressure on Macklemore — have cratered so severely that he doubts the concert will happen.
“We had them in advance, we were anticipating the show to be very good,” Higgins said.
“Luckily we sold them in advance because right now ticket sales have fallen way off.”
He added: “I don’t have any faith in the show. I hope it does happen, but I’m not jumping into it now.”
The Loop Tour continues Saturday in Philadelphia.