Ed Sheeran's two Gillette Stadium shows were cancelled Friday as a nor'easter hit Massachusetts, ending a bruising week for his Loop Tour and giving fans of the venue owned by billionaire Robert Kraft, a longtime supporter of Israel, another headache.
The Kraft-owned venue said the promoter and tour called off the Friday and Saturday concerts after consulting local officials about severe weather warnings across Boston and New England. Forecasters expected heavy rain and wind gusts near 40 miles per hour (64.3 km/h) in Foxborough, and stage construction had already been halted the day before.
The same nor'easter forced other East Coast events to scrap plans, including Maryland's Oceans Calling festival in Ocean City, so the singer was far from the only act grounded by the weekend front.
Refunds and a Regulator Step In
Fans do not have to chase their money. A Kraft representative said refunds are available at the point of purchase, and buyers who used Ticketmaster will be refunded automatically. The statement said the safety of fans, staff, and everyone involved was the priority.
Regulators had already forced the issue. Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell sent Ticketmaster a demand letter after her office received more than 170 complaints, pressing the company to give ticketholders clear refund options before the shows were scrapped. Campaigners had also planned to gather outside Saturday's concert, with the group Massachusetts Peace Action making the venue a focus of protests over Kraft's role.
How the Palestine Row Started
The weekend washout capped weeks of turmoil. Sheeran's opening act, the rapper Macklemore, was dropped from the US leg after shouting 'Free Palestine' during a show at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Kraft acknowledged he planned to bar the rapper from Gillette, citing what he called a 'broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery'.
Macklemore said Sheeran told him Kraft had rallied other stadium owners and issued an ultimatum. In solidarity, Sheeran's other openers and his backing band quit, leaving him to perform alone last weekend in Philadelphia, where he apologised to fans and called the situation in Gaza 'catastrophic and unjustifiable'.
Ticket Prices Tell Their Own Story
The backlash showed up in the resale market. TicketData figures showed the cheapest seats for the two Gillette dates had fallen 14% and 15% over three days, listing at about $78 (£58) and $89 (£66) before the cancellation. Prices for last week's Philadelphia show dropped 45% to around $75 (£56).
Keith Pagello, who founded TicketData, cautioned that resale prices often soften as any event nears. He said the Philadelphia slide still pushed past the tour's usual pattern, a sign that the political fight may be steering buyers as much as the calendar.
A Rival Tour Raises the Stakes
The timing stung. One day before the cancellation, Macklemore announced his own Free Palestine Tour, with proceeds going to organisations that help Palestinians. 'Being apolitical during a genocide doesn't work anymore,' he said, urging artists to use the stage for more than entertainment.
For Sheeran, a storm ended a run that politics had already battered. For fans weighing whether to attend, boycott, or buy, the Loop Tour has become a test of how far values now shape who fills a stadium, and who stays home.
