President Sheinbaum Requests More BTS Concerts Amid Soaring Demand
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has formally requested assistance from South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to arrange additional concerts for the K-pop group BTS in Mexico. The appeal, made during a Monday press conference, follows the rapid sell-out of tickets for the band's three scheduled shows in Mexico City in May, which led to significant demand and consumer complaints regarding ticket sales practices.
Presidential Plea for Expanded BTS Shows
President Sheinbaum's appeal to South Korea stems from an estimated one million individuals seeking tickets for BTS concerts in Mexico, while only 150,000 seats were available across the initial three shows.
An estimated one million individuals [are] seeking tickets for BTS concerts in Mexico, while only 150,000 seats were available.
The initial batch of tickets for the scheduled Mexico City shows sold out in less than 40 minutes, according to local reports. Local concert promoter Ocesa has reportedly informed President Sheinbaum that adding more shows is not feasible due to BTS's already extensive global tour itinerary.
Consumer Watchdog Investigates Ticket Practices
Official ticket prices for the concerts ranged from approximately 1,800 pesos ($100) to 17,800 pesos ($1,030) for VIP access. On resale platforms, prices were observed ranging from 11,300 pesos to 92,100 pesos (over $5,300).
Mexico's consumer watchdog has initiated an investigation into Ticketmaster and is sanctioning resale platforms StubHub and Viagogo. The watchdog cited "abusive and disloyal practices" concerning BTS ticket sales. They also indicated plans to develop new guidelines for concert and festival ticket sales, focusing on pre-established prices and locations.
Ticketmaster, owned by Live Nation Entertainment, previously faced controversy in Mexico in 2022. At that time, it reimbursed customers due to denied entry for a Bad Bunny concert, citing resellers and fraudulent vendors.
BTS's Global Tour and Mexico's K-Pop Market
BTS is scheduled to begin a global tour on April 9 in Goyang, South Korea, following the release of their new album "Arirang" in March. The tour is expected to cover Asia, Europe, and America. The septet recently concluded a hiatus that included mandatory military service and individual music careers, having not released group music since June 2022. The tour is projected by Billboard to generate over $1 billion from various revenue streams, including concerts, merchandise, and streaming.
The three currently scheduled concerts in Mexico City's GNP Seguros Stadium are set for May 7 to 10. Mexico represents a significant market for K-pop, ranking as Spotify's fifth-largest globally, with genre streaming increasing by over 500% in the past five years.