
One notable side effect of the ongoing feud over Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour and Macklemore’s controversial speech that led to him being removed as the opener is that resale ticket prices are now crashing on major secondary marketplaces. Ticket scalpers notoriously target Sheeran’s massive stadium runs using automated bots and speculative listings—but secondary market data shows that ticket prices for the Loop Tour are actively slipping, while thousands of tickets remain completely unsold.
The issue stems from the massive public scrutiny surrounding the tour since opening act Macklemore was removed from the lineup. That move followed the rapper’s controversial “free Palestine” speech during the two shows he opened at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 4 and 5. Since then, all other artists slated to accompany Sheeran on the tour have withdrawn, issuing public statements about the matter on social media.
To counteract this, Ticketmaster even launched a rare “Buy One, Get One Free” promotion in select cities—an unheard-of move for a serious stadium act like Sheeran.
While Ticketmaster is still selling (primary market) seats in the nosebleeds for $125, StubHub’s secondary market has tickets from the same section listed for as little as $65.
Ed Sheeran kicked off his Loop Tour in June in Arizona, with stops across the U.S. and Canada. Just a handful of dates remain in the U.S. leg, which is due to wrap on November 7 in Tampa. Notably, his Mathematics Tour in 2025 sold out multiple venues and became one of the most-attended tours, not just that year, but of all time. Now, his 2026 outing isn’t performing nearly as well, to say the least.