All four opening acts drop out of Ed Sheeran’s Loop tour in solidarity with Macklemore
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Following reports of widespread ticket cancellations for Ed Sheeran’s stadium tour—sparked by Macklemore’s removal over pro-Palestine remarks—a viral social media post claimed that Sheeran personally bought up the returned tickets to donate to military veterans. The rumor quickly circulated online, prompting a closer look at its authenticity.
Claim: Ed Sheeran purchased canceled concert tickets and donated them to veterans
A widely shared Facebook post alleged that after more than 10,000 tickets were refunded, Sheeran bought them back himself and handed them over to VetTix, an organization that provides event tickets to low-income veterans.
The post even attributed fabricated quotes to the British pop star:
- “If people don’t want to come, that’s their right.”
- “I don’t think it’s fair to let those seats go empty.”
- “I just want to sing my songs and entertain people.”
The post drew hundreds of thousands of views, dividing social media users between those who criticized the singer and those who praised him, while a smaller group questioned whether the story was real.
Fact Check: False, the rumor originated from a satirical page
In reality, the claim is entirely fabricated. There are no credible reports, official statements, or social media posts from the Grammy winner confirming that he purchased and donated canceled tickets, nor did he ever make the quoted remarks.
A standard media search confirms that no legitimate news outlets covered the alleged event—a story of this scale involving a major global artist would have received widespread coverage.
Furthermore, the original post came from the well-known Facebook parody page “America’s Last Line Of Defense,” whose biography explicitly states: “Nothing on this page is real.”
Ed Sheeran addresses the Macklemore controversy
Amid the fallout—which includes all four supporting acts withdrawing from the Loop tour to back Macklemore—Sheeran has finally broken his silence.
The controversy began after rapper Macklemore made pro-Palestine statements during Sheeran’s two-night run in New Jersey earlier this month. Following the rapper’s subsequent removal from the lineup, Sheeran clarified that dropping Macklemore was the promoter’s call, not his own.
In an extensive statement, Sheeran explained, “I spoke with the venues at length all week to try and build a bridge.” He added, “I would never let down the fans who had made plans, nor would I abandon the touring crew and the other support acts and musicians who rely on me for work and to make a living.”