Fans hoping to grab presale tickets for Ariana Grande’s Eternal Sunshine tour in the UK were met with disappointment today, as Ticketmaster’s website and app repeatedly crashed under the surge of traffic. The issue left many stuck in endless queues or locked out of the checkout process altogether, sparking anger across social media.
So, what exactly caused the crash?
Unprecedented Demand for Ariana Grande Tickets
Ariana’s tour marks her first major return to the stage in years, making it one of the most sought-after live events of 2025. Presale tickets for UK cities like London, Manchester, and Birmingham drew hundreds of thousands of fans at the same time, overwhelming Ticketmaster’s servers.
Ticketmaster’s Struggle With High Traffic
This isn’t the first time Ticketmaster has faced technical problems. The platform has repeatedly struggled to handle massive online queues during high-demand sales, most notably for artists like Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, and Coldplay. The Ariana Grande presale once again highlighted the platform’s inability to scale its infrastructure fast enough to manage sudden spikes in users.
Bots and Scalpers Add Pressure
Several users on X tweeted that bots and automated systems used by resellers may have further worsened the problem. These scripts flood Ticketmaster’s servers in an attempt to scoop up tickets quickly, putting even more strain on the system and reducing availability for genuine fans.
