Post by : Meena Ariff

Leading artists including Dua Lipa, Coldplay, Sam Fender, Radiohead, and The Cure have united alongside over 40 musicians in urging UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to uphold his promise to safeguard fans from online ticket touts.

The musicians penned a letter to the government demanding measures to “prevent touts from exploiting fans” by placing limits on the resale price of tickets. Concerns have surged among fans and artists regarding inflated resale costs, with reports showing some secondary-market tickets listed at multiple times their original prices.

Earlier this year, the government initiated a public consultation on ticket reselling following complaints from fans, with promises to tackle traffickers who "systematically purchase tickets on the primary market and sell them at greatly inflated prices." However, seven months post-consultation, no definitive timeline for new regulations has been announced.

Drastic Price Hikes

Consumer group Which? reported that tickets for an Oasis concert at Wembley Stadium reached outrageous prices of up to £4,442. A study by the Competition and Market Authority (CMA) indicated that resale prices are often more than 50% higher than face value. Earlier this year, the government hinted at considering a cap of 30% on resold ticket prices.

Dan Smith from indie-pop group Bastille expressed his concern, saying it’s “ridiculous” that fans face unregulated price hikes, especially when other countries like Ireland and Australia have successfully implemented caps. He mentioned that, with governmental backing, fans could resell unwanted tickets at original prices, protecting them from exploitation.

Government Response and Recommendations

A representative from the Department for Culture stated: "This administration is completely dedicated to curbing tout activity while prioritizing fans in live events. We have meticulously reviewed evidence from our recent consultation and will announce our strategy soon."

The proposals also included capping the number of tickets that resellers could offer. Artists such as PJ Harvey, Mark Knopfler, Amy MacDonald, Iron Maiden, and Nick Cave joined consumer advocates in their call for swift government action to ensure price cap legislation appears in the upcoming King's Speech, asserting that this would restore trust in the ticketing framework and promote equitable access to the arts.

Exploiting Global Networks

Research by Which? has exposed extensive operations of ticket resellers from nations like Brazil, Dubai, Singapore, Spain, and the US, acquiring tickets for high-demand events and reselling them at marked-up prices on platforms like StubHub and Viagogo. Investigations revealed teams of overseas workers bulk-purchasing tickets for UK shows to take advantage of resale profits.

The CMA highlighted the challenges fans face in identifying or reaching out to resellers, despite legal mandates obliging secondary websites like Viagogo to disclose trader identities. Which? also raised concerns regarding "speculative selling," wherein tickets are listed for resale even prior to the seller acquiring them.

Consumer law expert Lisa Webb from Which? emphasized that the collective statement from artists, fan groups, and consumer organizations underscores a broad discontent with a ticketing industry that allows touts to operate unchecked.

While resale platforms argue a price cap could drive buyers to unregulated markets and social media, raising fraud risks, reports indicate a burgeoning black market for Premier League football tickets, where resale is banned, yet some tickets still sell for exorbitant amounts.

#Global News #Entertainment News