Music fans hoping to get a shot at buying tickets to the Chicago dates on Beyoncé's upcoming "Renaissance" World Tour just caught a break -- in the form of about 12 hours.
According to a Thursday night statement from Ticketmaster parent Live Nation, the deadline to register to become a "Verified Fan" for the tour stops in Chicago has been extended due to demand that "drastically exceeds supply."
The new deadline, Live Nation says, is Friday at 11 a.m. CST.
"Fan demand already exceeds the number of available tickets by more than 800% based on current registration numbers in the Group A cities," the statement reads. "To help meet demand for this first group of dates going on sale, seven shows have now been added based on venue and scheduling availabilities around the time of the tour."
"Even with these added dates," the statement continues, "it is still expected that the majority of interested fans will not be able to get tickets because demand drastically exceeds supply."
According to Live Nation, "Verified Fan" registration for Group A -- in other words, for shows in Chicago, Atlanta, East Rutherford, Houston, Inglewood, Las Vegas, Toronto, Washington D.C. and Vancouver -- now closes at 11 a.m. CST Friday.
Originally, registration to become a "Verified Fan" closed Thursday at 10:59 p.m. CST. And though an official date tickets will go on sale has not yet been announced, registering to become a "Verified Fan" is the first step in the process for those who want a shot at buying some, Ticketmaster says.
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Here's a breakdown of how it all works.
What's the Process For Getting Beyoncé Tickets?
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"Beyoncé is using Verified Fan to help fans get tickets," Ticketmaster parent company Live Nation says, on a site dedicated to Beyoncé's tour. "Verified Fan requires registration to help filter out buyers looking to resell tickets and create a less crowded ticket shopping experience for fans."
According to Live Nation, all hopeful ticket buyers -- presale or not -- must register with Ticketmaster to become a "Verified Fan." However, as Taylor Swift fans hoping to get tickets to "The Eras Tour" may remember, "registration does not guarantee tickets," Live Nation says, adding that demand is expected to be high.
Read More: Ticketmaster Responds to Beyoncé Tour Concerns After Taylor Swift Ticket Debacle
"We expect there will be more demand than there are tickets available and a lottery-style process will determine which registered Verified Fans receive a unique access code and which are put on the waitlist," the site reads.
Additionally, "Verified Fan" registration deadlines vary by city.
For those wishing to buy tickets to Beyoncé's tour stop in Chicago, registration is currently open - but not for long. It originally closed at 10:59 p.m. CST Thursday, but it will now close at 11 a.m. CST Friday.
After registering to become a "Verified Fan," Ticketmaster must "authorize" your account, the company says. Users can then expect to receive an email from Ticketmaster confirming that their registration has been recorded.
"This email is to confirm we have received your registration information," one such email obtained by NBC 5 reads. "You’ll receive an email on Friday, February 10 confirming next steps."
However, registering for the "Verified Fan Onsale" does not guarantee access to the sale, the email says. "Since we expect demand to exceed the number of tickets available, some people who register will be put on the waitlist," the email reads.
And, while those who are granted access to the sale may have a better shot at securing tickets, nothing is guaranteed, Ticketmaster stresses.
"Being invited to the Verified Fan Onsale doesn’t guarantee tickets," the email reads. "Tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis."
Finally, one day prior to the sale, "Verified Fans" can expect to receive an email that indicates whether they've been invited to the sale, or whether they've been waitlisted, Ticketmaster says.
Confused? Here's a recap:
- Beyoncé's tour has two Chicago dates: July 22 and July 23 at Soldier Field
- Fans wishing to buy tickets to Beyoncé's Chicago show must first register to become a Ticketmaster "Verified Fan." The deadline to do so has been pushed back to Friday, Feb 3 at 11 a.m. CST.
- Fans wishing to buy tickets to a show in a different city must check this site to see when registration opens
- Registered and authenticated "Verified Fans" on Feb. 10 will receive more information about next steps, Ticketmaster says
What To Know About Beyoncé's "Renaissance" World Tour
Following stops in the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Amsterdam, Germany and Poland, Beyoncé will hit North America, beginning with a July tour date in Toronto.
The 41-year-old singer is set to come to Soldier Field in Chicago on July 22, with a newly added second date of July 23.
The tour also includes stops in Miami, Seattle, New York City, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Houston and New Orleans. A full list of tour dates and global cities can be found on Beyoncé's official website.
Here are the current tour dates and cities for the North American leg of the "Renaissance" tour:
July 8 — Toronto, CA at Rogers Centre
July 12 — Philadelphia, PA at Lincoln Financial Field
July 15 — Nashville, TN at Nissan Stadium
July 17 — Louisville, KY at Cardinal Stadium
July 20 — Minneapolis, MN at Huntington Bank Stadium
July 22 — Chicago, IL at Soldier Field
July 26 — Detroit, MI at Ford Field
July 29 — East Rutherford, NJ at Metlife Stadium
July 30 — East Rutherford, NJ at Metlife Stadium
Aug. 1 — Foxborough, MA at Gillette Stadium
Aug. 3 — Pittsburgh, PA at Acrisure Stadium
Aug. 5 — Washington, DC at FedexField
Aug. 6 — Washington, DC at FedexField
Aug. 9 — Charlotte, NC at Bank Of America Stadium
Aug. 11 — Atlanta, GA at Mercedes Benz Stadium
Aug. 12 — Atlanta, GA at Mercedes Benz Stadium
Aug. 16 — Tampa, FL at Raymond James Stadium
Aug. 18 — Miami, FL at Hard Rock Stadium
Aug. 21 — St. Louis, MI at Dome at America’s Center
Aug. 24 — Phoenix, AZ at State Farm Stadium
Aug. 26 — Las Vegas, NV at Allegiant Stadium
Aug. 30 — San Francisco, CA at Levi’s Stadium
Sept. 2 — Inglewood, CA at Sofi Stadium
Sept. 3 — Inglewood, CA at Sofi Stadium
Sept. 11 — Vancouver, BC at BC Place
Sept. 13 — Seattle, WA at Lumen Field
Sept. 18 — Kansas City, KS at Arrowhead Stadium
Sept. 21 — Arlington, TX at AT&T Stadium
Sept. 23 — Houston, TX at NRG Stadium
Sept. 23 — Houston, TX at NRG Stadium
Sept. 27 — New Orleans, LA at Caesars Superdome