British Artists Unite to Warn of Perils of Secondary Ticketing Websites
The world-renowned music industry has spoken out in unison, urging Prime Minister Keir Starmer to take decisive action against "pernicious" ticket tout websites. A coalition of 38 top British artists, including Radiohead, Dua Lipa, Coldplay, and Iron Maiden, have issued an open statement expressing their outrage over the exploitative practices of secondary ticketing companies.
These companies, such as Viagogo and StubHub, allow touts to bulk buy tickets at face value, only to resell them for exorbitant prices on platforms like eBay, which can reach thousands of pounds. The artists argue that this practice prevents genuine fans from accessing the music, theatre, and sports they love.
The issue has come to light through undercover footage, which reveals a lucrative black market for tickets that are often bought and sold without the presence of the original seller. These touts have been known to use sophisticated methods, including bots and browser software, to maximize their gains.
According to Which?, a consumer group, ticket prices on these platforms can be staggering, with some examples including Oasis tickets listed at £3,498.85 on StubHub and £4,442 on Viagogo, while a Coldplay ticket was listed for £814.52 on StubHub. The most extreme case found was a ticket for the All Points East festival in London's Victoria Park headlined by Raye listed for a staggering £114,666 on Viagogo.
The artists' statement claims that if not addressed, this "speculative selling" practice will become even more prevalent, as touts will look to exploit fans through unregulated sales on social media and offshore sites. They believe that capping resale prices would actually make it easier for fans to spot illegal behavior, rather than increasing outright fraud.
Government officials have responded by stating their commitment to tackling touts, but have yet to reveal specific plans. The next king's speech will be a crucial moment in this saga, as Labour had pledged to cap ticket resale prices during the general election campaign.
The music industry is now calling on Prime Minister Starmer to take decisive action against these exploitative practices and ensure that genuine fans can access live events without being forced to pay inflated prices.
The world-renowned music industry has spoken out in unison, urging Prime Minister Keir Starmer to take decisive action against "pernicious" ticket tout websites. A coalition of 38 top British artists, including Radiohead, Dua Lipa, Coldplay, and Iron Maiden, have issued an open statement expressing their outrage over the exploitative practices of secondary ticketing companies.
These companies, such as Viagogo and StubHub, allow touts to bulk buy tickets at face value, only to resell them for exorbitant prices on platforms like eBay, which can reach thousands of pounds. The artists argue that this practice prevents genuine fans from accessing the music, theatre, and sports they love.
The issue has come to light through undercover footage, which reveals a lucrative black market for tickets that are often bought and sold without the presence of the original seller. These touts have been known to use sophisticated methods, including bots and browser software, to maximize their gains.
According to Which?, a consumer group, ticket prices on these platforms can be staggering, with some examples including Oasis tickets listed at £3,498.85 on StubHub and £4,442 on Viagogo, while a Coldplay ticket was listed for £814.52 on StubHub. The most extreme case found was a ticket for the All Points East festival in London's Victoria Park headlined by Raye listed for a staggering £114,666 on Viagogo.
The artists' statement claims that if not addressed, this "speculative selling" practice will become even more prevalent, as touts will look to exploit fans through unregulated sales on social media and offshore sites. They believe that capping resale prices would actually make it easier for fans to spot illegal behavior, rather than increasing outright fraud.
Government officials have responded by stating their commitment to tackling touts, but have yet to reveal specific plans. The next king's speech will be a crucial moment in this saga, as Labour had pledged to cap ticket resale prices during the general election campaign.
The music industry is now calling on Prime Minister Starmer to take decisive action against these exploitative practices and ensure that genuine fans can access live events without being forced to pay inflated prices.
I mean, the examples of prices on these platforms are insane - £3k+ for Oasis tickets? It's not right that genuine fans can't get tickets without being ripped off by touts. But do we really need the government to cap resale prices? That could just create more opportunities for illegitimate sales. What's the actual harm here? Is it just about the money or is there a bigger issue at play? 
! I mean, I get it, some people are willing to shell out the cash, but what about us regular folks who just wanna rock out without breaking the bank? 
These touts need to be stopped before they drive fans crazy! 
. I mean, £114,666 for a ticket? That's just crazy! 
The artists are right, if we don't do something about this, it'll be a total disaster! 
We need some strong action from PM Starmer ASAP! 
#TicketToutsAreTheWorst #FairPricesForFans #SaveOurLiveEvents
That's when I realized how broken the system is. It's not fair to fans who wanna see their fave bands live. Artists are right to speak out against these shady companies. If we can regulate prices, maybe we can also reduce the ridiculous amounts touts make from resale fees. The gov should take action before the next King's Speech 
, they're literally sucking the life out of our favourite artists and fans! I mean, who needs a ticket tout website when we already have eBay? It's like they're taking advantage of people's desperation to see their fave bands live. And £114,666 for one ticket?! Are you kidding me?! That's just insane 
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. Capping resale prices would be a good start, but it's not gonna stop touts from exploiting us if they can just keep dodging regulations.
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like how r the artists supposed 2 deal w/ these secondary ticketing sites tho? can't they just stop them or smthn? 
and yaaas to capping resale prices tho! i think it's a genius idea, it'll def make it harder for touts 2 exploit fans 
plus, it'll be so much easier 4 genuine fans 2 spot illegal behavior 
what's next? 
like this! The secondary ticketing websites are literally taking advantage of people's desperation to see their fave bands live 
I mean, £3,498 for an Oasis ticket? That's just crazy! 
. If we capping resale prices would make it easier for fans to spot scams, that makes total sense to me 
. Prime Minister Starmer needs to step up and take action now 
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And now it turns out they're using bots and browser software to get away with it? So unfair 
I'm all for capping resale prices, it's a good start 
Wish PM Starmer would make some real changes soon 