COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) -What was billed as a historic celebration of music and culture turned into a disaster, according to some attendees of the Big HBCU Battle of the Bands last weekend in Columbia.
Ticketholders say they waited in line for hours—some as long as three hours. Many are now demanding refunds for tickets that cost upwards of $200, but organizers say the tickets were non-refundable.
“It was probably about two miles long, just people waiting to get in,” said Preston Rodriguez, an attendee.
Organizers acknowledged the scale of the event, saying it was the largest ever hosted at the stadium.
“We did speak with some of the staff at the stadium and they let us know this is the largest event they’ve ever hosted,” said Alex Davis, a representative for the Big HBCU Battle of the Bands.
But attendees say the event was overbooked and poorly managed.
“It was just a mob up there,” said Preston Rodriguez, who waited in line with his family. “The line wasn’t even moving. We were probably in line from about 2:30 till 5:30 with no movement.”
Others reported overcrowding in VIP sections and a lack of communication from staff.
“They weren’t letting anyone in,” said Alicia Rodriguez, from Sumter. “The few people that were inside said the VIP section was already packed—shoulder to shoulder.”
The Rodriguez’s said their family eventually left after standing in the heat for hours.
“I get that you say non-refundable,” she said. “However, given the circumstances and the amount of people who didn’t get their tickets scanned, who stood outside in the hot sun—people were fainting—I just feel that’s unacceptable.”
Organizers deny overbooking and say they communicated with attendees via the PA system and staff on the ground, directing them to the visitors’ side of the stadium.
“We opened up the visitors’ side and all ticket holders were able to come to that side,” Davis said. “We communicated that through the PA, along with staff in the lines.”
But some attendees say they never heard any announcements.
In response to the backlash, organizers are offering VIP tickets to future events in other cities.
“They’re able to pick which event they like,” Davis said. “And just for the inconvenience, we’re going to upgrade their tickets to VIP, where they don’t have to wait in line and can enter through the VIP entrance.”
Some ticketholders remain skeptical about accepting the offer.
To redeem tickets for an upcoming event, email this address: Admin@BIGHBCU.COM. Include your name, the email used to purchase the tickets, and the number of tickets bought.
Feel more informed, prepared, and connected with WIS. For more free content like this, subscribe to our email newsletter, and download our apps. Have feedback that can help us improve? Click here.