Eric Church is facing major backlash after cancelling his upcoming April 2 show at San Antonio’s AT&T Center so he can attend a basketball game. In a letter to ticket holders, which was sent out by Ticketmaster, Church admitted that calling off the gig four days before showtime was “the most selfish thing” he has done to his fans. Church is canceling the concert he was scheduled to perform in San Antonio, so he could see Duke Blue Devils take on the North Carolina Tar Heels in the NCAA Final Four for a spot in the College Basketball Championship game at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. The game marks the first time the two teams will face each other in the Final Four.

Wrote Church: “This Saturday, my family and I are going to stand together to cheer on the Tar Heels as the team has made it to the Final Four. As a lifelong Carolina basketball fan, I’ve watched Carolina and Duke battle over the year but to have them matchup in the Final Four for the first time in history of the NCAA Tournament is any sports enthusiast’s dream. This is also the most selfish thing I’ve ever asked the Choir to do: to give up your Saturday night plans with us so that I can have this moment with my family and sports community. However, it’s that same type of passion felt by the people who fill the seats at our concerts that makes us want to be part of a crowd at a game of this significance. Woody Durham always said, ‘Go where you go and do what you do.’ [T]hanks for letting me go here and be with the Tar Heels.”

However for some of Church’s fans who traveled from out of state to see the show, the cancellation left them outraged. Some also questioned by Church decided to cancel the show instead of postponing it for a later date, however a spokesperson for Church said that he “could not commit to a reschedule date at this time.  The letter to fans revealed that “no action is required to obtain a refund.” Refunds will be processed to the original payment method used at the time of purchase.

Church’s next scheduled tour date is set for Friday, April 1 in Fort Worth, Texas at Dickies Arena. The Gather Again Tour will resume on April 9, 2022, in New Orleans, LA at the Smoothie King Center. In addition to the previously announced arena shows, the North Carolina native will also perform several Stadium tour dates later this year.

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