Ticketmaster apologizes for fake-ticket fiasco at Bad Bunny show in Mexico

Bad Bunny’s World’s Hottest Tour became the world’s hottest mess Friday after instances of ticket fraud prevented hundreds of fans from attending the musician’s concert in Mexico City.

Ticketmaster issued an apology Friday after an “unprecedented” number of people were sold fake tickets and denied entry to Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca for the penultimate Bad Bunny concert of 2022. The ticket vendor promised full refunds to those who purchased legitimate tickets but were also denied entry at the venue during the chaotic scene.

Anyone who bought authentic tickets and was unable to access Friday’s show can email [email protected] to request a refund, the company said in a statement posted on social media.

Furthermore, Ticketmaster said it is cooperating with Mexico’s Procuraduría Federal del Consumidor (Profeco) to investigate the incident, inhibit and penalize the sale of false tickets going forward.

Mexico City was the last stop on Bad Bunny’s wildly popular World’s Hottest Tour. The Puerto Rican reggaeton sensation played his final show of the year at Estadio Azteca on Saturday after traveling to various cities in North, Central and South America. In some cases, tickets for Friday’s performance sold for thousands of pesos, while resold tickets reportedly went for tens of thousands, according to the Associated Press.

Because of the ticket-fraud fiasco, mass confusion and outrage erupted Friday outside Estadio Azteca, where some attempted to climb over the gates only to be stopped by security inside, according to Billboard magazine. Ticketmaster said its processing system was overwhelmed by the unanticipated amount of fans who arrived at the stadium with a mix of real and counterfeit tickets.

According to CNN, cases of concert-ticket fraud have been rising in Mexico, and Profeco received more than 400 complaints related to ticket fraud from 2018 to October of this year.

In a recent interview with Billboard, Bad Bunny said he plans to take a breather in 2023 after a whirlwind year of releasing new music, topping the charts, touring, winning awards and collecting Grammy nominations.

“I’m taking a break,” he told the music magazine. “2023 is for me, for my physical health, my emotional health to breathe, enjoy my achievements. We’re going to celebrate. Let’s go here, let’s go there, let’s go on the boat. I have a couple of sporadic commitments, and I’ll go to the studio, but there’s no pressure. Remember yourself, c—. You’ve worked your ass off.”

In November, the “Me Porto Bonito” hitmaker received Grammy nominations for pop solo performance (“Moscow Mule”), música urbana album (“Un Verano Sin Ti”) and album of the year (“Un Verano Sin Ti”). Shortly thereafter, he was crowned the world’s most-streamed artist of the year by both Spotify and Apple Music.

“I feel in control,” the recording artist told Billboard. “I’ve been doing this five, six years, and I’ve been acquiring experience. Yes, six years is nothing. But we’re living in a digital era, where everybody can upload their music and if you explode, you explode, and suddenly, you’re huge with a single hit and you have no experience….

“I’d say I’ve acquired that experience little by little. I’ve been able to overcome and heal many things in my life, and now I feel that security. I’ve never felt as centered in both my life and my career. I’m clear on what I am and who I am in terms of the music industry.”