Ticketmaster blames cyber attack for disrupting Taylor Swift tour sale

By Mark Savage

BBC Music Correspondent

Ticketmaster learned "valuable lessons" when the sale of Taylor Swift's 2023 US tour was disrupted by software attacks, its parent company will testify in the US Senate later.

The attack overwhelmed Ticketmaster's systems, leading to lengthy delays and thousands of disappointed fans, who were unable to buy seats for the shows.

"In hindsight there are several things we could have done better," said Live Nation president Joe Berchtold in written testimony released ahead of Tuesday's hearing.

Acknowledging that the sale had been "a terrible consumer experience", he apologised "to the many disappointed fans as well as to Ms Swift".

Ticketmaster has repeatedly faced criticism from fans and politicians, who say it has too much control over the live music market and artificially inflates the cost of tickets with fees and service charges.

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According to Senator Amy Klobuchar, who chairs the US Senate committee on consumer rights, Ticketmaster is responsible for 70% of ticket sales in the US.