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Sam Fender pushes back pre-sale for 2027 Newcastle shows after “sophisticated bot attack”
Sam Fender postponed the pre-sale for his 2027 St James’ Park concerts in Newcastle after promoters reported a “sophisticated bot attack” on ticketing site Gigantic. He said the sale would restart at 9:30am the following day so genuine fans could try to buy tickets.
The original pre-sale was due to begin at 9:30am on 28 October, and fans criticised Gigantic’s handling of it on social media. General sale for the Newcastle dates and the rest of Fender’s UK and Ireland stadium tour was scheduled for 30 October at 9:30am. The delay follows Fender’s intervention over tour ticket prices: standing tickets are £85 before fees, while seats cost £55, £75 or £95, and the premium front-standing category was removed.
In short
- Bots disrupted the Newcastle ticket pre-sale.
- Fender moved it to 9:30am the next day.
- He had also reduced prices and removed premium standing tickets.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Delaying the pre-sale could give the ticketing site time to counter the reported bot attack and make more tickets available to genuine fans. Restarting at a stated time also offers buyers a clearer chance to participate, supporting fair access to a limited supply.
The case against
Postponing at short notice may inconvenience fans who had arranged to buy tickets and leave them uncertain about whether the next attempt will work. Given the reported problems with Gigantic’s handling of the sale, some may reasonably question whether a delay alone will fix the underlying issues or ensure equal access.
Explained simply
Sam Fender is a singer-songwriter from North Shields, near Newcastle, whose concerts often attract fans from across the North East and beyond. St James’ Park is Newcastle United’s football stadium and a major venue for live music.
Concert tickets are often released in stages: a pre-sale gives eligible customers an earlier chance to buy, followed by a general sale open to the wider public. Ticketing sites use online queues and other checks to manage demand, while automated buying programmes, known as bots, can try to purchase tickets in large numbers.
Fender’s tour has also drawn attention to ticket prices and the categories on offer. How tickets are sold matters to fans because high demand can make it difficult to buy them, and the price and availability can vary by seat or standing area.