US Grand Prix organizers promise star players. Now, with a superstar in the works, it is offering to buy back tickets

US Grand Prix organizers promise star players. Now, with a superstar in the works, it is offering to buy back tickets

This year’s musical acts at the United States Formula 1 Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, are so big, Circuit of the Americas (COTA) is offering to buy “early bird” tickets from buyers and pay ticket holders an additional $50.

Just like music festivals, Grand Prix have artists perform before the race. That’s usually all pretty standard, but whoever is chosen is so high-profile that many fans believe COTA can make a bigger profit by reselling tickets for more than the $299 upfront fee.

The identity of the musical guest, meanwhile, remains a mystery.

“Taylor (Swift) was here a few years ago, and I would say this is the biggest one we’ve had since,” COTA co-founder Bobby Epstein told CNN on Friday.

Britney Spears, Bruno Mars and Billy Joel are just some of the stars who have performed at the Grand Prix in Austin.

COTA will announce the entertainment lineup on April 29, and early bird buyers have until May 6 to resell their tickets for $350.

But fans commenting on the official COTA page are calling out the company scalpers for their own event tickets. Others said they could resell their tickets through a third party themselves for a higher profit than $50.

“I don’t think anyone will want to sell their tickets (once the lineup is announced),” Epstein said. After the backlash, Epstein told CNN that he expected COTA to raise buyback prices.

“It just shows that (early bird buyers) got a really good value on their purchase and hopefully, they’ll be there for us again in the future,” Epstein said.

The offer is for any general admission three-day weekend pass.

Epstein said COTA sold more than 10,000 early bird general admission land passes. He suggested the limited number of general admission tickets that will be released after the artist’s announcement will still be priced under $400. Last year’s general admission price was around $475.

The Grand Prix takes place from October 18-20.

General admission seats are among the most basic options for a race known for its glitz and glamour. Private air-conditioned suites and club seating numbering thousands.

“It’s not about buying back your ticket and making a profit on it at all,” Epstein said. “It’s about just showing the value that we see in our tickets and we appreciate that those buyers see.”