Ticketmaster will let fans get refunds for Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour stops at Gillette Stadium this Friday and Saturday, after the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office intervened over changes to nearly the entire opening lineup. Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell said more than 170 people had filed consumer complaints after the Foxborough lineup changes became known.
The reversal comes after weeks of turmoil surrounding the tour, reported by NBC Boston. According to the outlet, the Attorney General's Office sent Ticketmaster a letter demanding a change to its policy on swapping or canceling opening acts, arguing that changing nearly all of the acts and performers at the same time amounted to a dramatic change in the service being sold. The letter stated that Ticketmaster's reliance on its standard no-refund policy for lineup changes appeared unfair under those circumstances, and the company responded by agreeing to allow advance refund requests for the Foxborough shows on September 25 and 26.
The Attorney General's letter focused on the scale of the changes. Per the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office, it argued that changing nearly the entire lineup at once made Ticketmaster's reliance on its standard no-refund policy appear unfair.
How the Opening Lineup Fell Apart
The chain of events began when Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, barred Macklemore from performing over past comments Kraft considered offensive to the Jewish community, according to Front Office Sports. Hoodline previously reported on the onstage remarks Macklemore made at MetLife Stadium that sparked the initial backlash that led to his removal from the tour.
What followed was a cascade of exits. The Guardian reported that singer Finneas, Danish pop group Lukas Graham, Irish artist Aaron Rowe, and Sheeran's own backing band Beoga withdrew from the tour after Macklemore's removal. These departures substantially changed the supporting lineup for a tour billed as a multi-act stadium show. Kraft later committed $2 million toward Middle East humanitarian aid, following a call from Sheeran and a $1 million donation challenge from Macklemore, the Guardian reported separately.
Sheeran addressed the upheaval directly during his September 19 concert in Philadelphia, his first solo set without any openers. He told the crowd he had “never wanted to be an activist musician” and said he had considered quitting the tour altogether, while calling the human suffering in Gaza “catastrophic and unjustifiable” and condemning the October 7 Hamas attacks, according to the Guardian's account of the show.
Gillette Schedule Shifts
The lineup changes led Gillette Stadium organizers to rework the evening. CBS News reported that organizers moved the concert start time from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. for both Friday and Saturday shows, while also delaying parking lot openings to 4:30 p.m. and gate openings to 6:30 p.m.
Transit officials adjusted accordingly. The MBTA rescheduled its $20 special Commuter Rail event train service to Foxboro Station, moving Friday's departure from South Station to 5:25 p.m. and adding Saturday departures at 5:20 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to match the later concert start.
Protest Planned Outside Gillette Saturday
The controversy has also drawn activist attention. Massachusetts Peace Action plans a Saturday protest in solidarity with Macklemore, according to Page Six; NBC Boston also reported that a Saturday protest is scheduled.
The refund dispute puts Campbell's office at odds with Ticketmaster.
Ticket holders seeking a refund should contact Ticketmaster customer service, which asks that requests be made at least 24 hours before showtime. Customers can reach Ticketmaster at 1-800-653-8000, per NBC Boston's reporting on the refund process.
