Buyer beware: Scalpers target Kanye West's Sunday service at Joel Osteen's church
With Kanye West scheduled to appear at Joel Osteen’s church on Sunday, demand for tickets has gotten so high that scalpers have emerged to make some quick cash on what will be West’s biggest appearance since he released his new album, according to a TMZ report.
Now a devoted Christian, the rapper and entrepreneur will join the popular televangelist Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston, where Kanye will take 20 to 30 minutes to discuss his recent religious awakening for the first time before a massive audience of 45,000 people. The majority of attendees will likely be regular churchgoers and not necessarily Kanye West fans.
According to TMZ, sources close to the event have already found numerous tickets being sold by scalpers. While the tickets are free, scalpers snapped up a handful of them to sell. However, those tickets being sold by scalpers have been identified and invalidated, TMZ reported.
KANYE WEST'S 'SUNDAY SERVICE' WITH JOEL OSTEEN TO ATTRACT RECORD CROWDS
"In regards to tickets being sold on StubHub, all of the tickets are non-transferable,” Lakewood Church said in a statement. “Lakewood wants to warn everyone that all tickets posted on StubHub or any other ticketing sites are fraud."
Regardless, several bold scalpers are attempting to sell their originally free tickets on Twitter anywhere from $50 to $300 a pop, with listings on eBay going from $60 to $500 per ticket.
The first part of the service begins at 11 a.m., and will not require tickets and seating will be first-come, first-serve. The Sunday night service will require tickets and will includes Kanye’s massive 100 plus-person choir. It will be broadcast live on SiriusXM.