New mobile tickets cause problems for concert goers without smartphones
An Ontario woman says she experienced a roadblock when trying to purchase concert tickets because she didn't have a smartphone.
When Brampton resident Debbie Ervine found out Elton John was coming to Toronto after cancelling previous appearances due to the pandemic she was excited to try and purchase tickets.
“I heard he was having a final tour and he would never be coming to Toronto again, so I thought this is my big chance to finally see him," Ervine said.
More venues are switching to mobile digital tickets to prevent hard copy tickets from being stolen or counterfeited. However, to get a mobile ticket you need to download it to a smartphone--and millions of Canadians including Ervine don’t have one.
According to Statistics Canada, about 90 per cent of Canadians over the age of 15 have a smartphone. For the 10 per cent who don’t, they could start to find it difficult to purchase tickets to certain events.
"I think they must realize that not every human being has a smartphone," Ervine said.
Ervine signed up for advance ticket sales and was elated to see she could buy two tickets for the concert, but even though she has a landline phone and a flip phone for emergencies, neither would allow her to purchase tickets.
“I can't believe I can't see Elton John because i don't have a smartphone," she said.
On the Ticketmaster website it explains how to use mobile tickets. You need to download the Ticketmaster app, locate your order, view your tickets and to get into the venue your phone will have a ticket barcode that will be scanned at the door.
When CTV News Toronto reached out to Ticketmaster to ask about Ervine’s situation, the company told us to contact the Rogers Centre when the Elton John concert is being held.
A Rogers spokesperson said “while mobile ticketing is now the primary means of ticket delivery at Rogers Centre, guests who require accommodations, including those without a smartphone, can contact the box office for assistance.”
Ervine’s friend who has a smartphone was able to buy her tickets, but the concert is September 7, 2022 and with the concert date so far away both said they'd feel more comfortable with hard copy tickets they could hold onto.
“What if you lose your phone? What if you lose the file? What if you lose the link you are supposed to send yourself? It just doesn't seem like the best option," Ervine said.
Ticketmaster says if you can't access your tickets because your phone battery dies or your phone is broken before the event, you'll have to go the venue's box office with proper identification for assistance to get in.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.