Eric Church is in the middle of his Gather Again Tour, playing arenas and amphitheaters all over the country.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CbvcYTCOjp_/
On Tuesday (March 29), Ticketmaster sent an email to everyone who had purchased a ticket to his Saturday, April 2nd show informing them that Church had cancelled the San Antonio concert to attend a college basketball game between University of North Carolina and Duke, who have a long and storied rivalry.
He says that as a lifelong Carolina fan, he has watched the two team battle it out plenty of times, the two teams have never met in the Final Four of the NCAA College Basketball tournament. Church called the move “the most selfish thing I’ve ever done,” but hopes his fans can understand this once-in-a-lifetime event for him and his family.
See the email below.
I don’t know who Eric Church is but he straight up canceled his show this weekend in Texas to go watch UNC in the Final Four by sending an email message through Ticketmaster to fans with tickets and they are rightfully pissed pic.twitter.com/naGBEgVG2r
— Wu Tang is for the Children (@WUTangKids) March 30, 2022
The next few days came with lots of backlash from fans calling him selfish, and lots saying they are no longer fans.
Welp no longer a fan and not buying merchandise. Probably not a huge loss and I'm sure he doesn't care but if you were a "fan" of the tarheels you wouldn't schedule a concert.
— RD-3 (@Old_Rookie_69) March 29, 2022
Well, on Friday (April 1), Church announced that he will be performing a free show for the fans he cancelled on.
“Thank you, San Antonio, for letting me take my family to this game. It took a minute to figure out how and when I could properly express my thanks. I will be coming to Whitewater Amphitheater in New Braunfels, TX on Friday, Sept 2, 2022 for a ONE of a kind FREE show for those of you who bought tickets and were planning to attend our canceled San Antonio show. Details to be announced soon.”
So, the fans who had tickets to the April 2nd show got their money refunded and are able to attend this show on September 2nd for free.
See his full announcement below.