BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend 2025 is set to take place in Sunderland from May 22 to 24. Tickets for Friday May 22 go on sale March 6 at 9am, while Saturday and Sunday tickets go on sale March 11 at 5pm. The ticket limit is two per person per day, and tickets are only available via Ticketmaster. Priority is given to local residents based on postcodes: 30% for Sunderland residents, 60% for the wider NECA region, and 10% unreserved for the UK. A total of 31,000 general admission tickets and 2,960 VIP tickets are available each day. General admission tickets start at £45, with VIP tickets at £109. Fans are advised to set up a Ticketmaster account before tickets go on sale.
However, tickets have been seen online at more than 12 times face value. FanFair Alliance found unofficial listings at up to twelve times face value, with one Sunday ticket priced at £622. Their research showed two-thirds of tickets were being sold by traders rather than individuals, and some sellers offered up to 30 tickets in one listing despite the two-ticket limit. BBC Newsbeat's own checks found similar results. Two listings on StubHub.co.uk offered pairs of VIP tickets for £421 and £530, while Viagogo carried a listing for a £45 general admission ticket inflated to £363. FanFair Alliance raised concerns about many sellers being based abroad.
The Labour government promised to ban resale of tickets at inflated prices in its 2024 election manifesto and announced plans in November 2024. The government told BBC Newsbeat it was 'committed' to delivering the ban. However, resale sites StubHub.co.uk and Viagogo said a cap could drive people to unregulated websites, increase fraud risk, and drive prices higher. FanFair Alliance is concerned the ban won't be in the King's Speech on 13 May. The Culture Select Committee recommended introducing the ban 'without delay'. BBC Newsbeat was told the government is exploring the best way to make the measure a law as soon as possible.