Why isn’t ticket touting illegal?
Discussion
Now this is going to sound massively like sour grapes but I’m sick to death of ticket touts. I know all about supply and demand etc but I’ve really had enough.
Recently been trying to get tickets to Mumford and Sons at the O2, they sold out very quickly but another date was announced. Tried to get them this morning with no luck, sh!t computer coupled with a sh!t internet and website meant I was out of luck.
Fair enough I thought, the way it goes, wasn’t quick enough. What really p1ssed me off was when I checked ebay and they were on sale within 20 minutes for double the price.
How can this possibly be allowed? If you can’t go for some reason fair enough but people are buying them with no intention of going just to make a few quid. I refuse to pay an inflated price so won’t be going (and more fool the people who do) but something really needs to be done about it.
I can imagine there will probably be empty seats now if people refuse to pay the inflated price and the tout just takes the hit, most gigs I go to don’t generally sell out but I didn’t realise (maybe naively) that it had become such a massive industry.
Recently been trying to get tickets to Mumford and Sons at the O2, they sold out very quickly but another date was announced. Tried to get them this morning with no luck, sh!t computer coupled with a sh!t internet and website meant I was out of luck.
Fair enough I thought, the way it goes, wasn’t quick enough. What really p1ssed me off was when I checked ebay and they were on sale within 20 minutes for double the price.
How can this possibly be allowed? If you can’t go for some reason fair enough but people are buying them with no intention of going just to make a few quid. I refuse to pay an inflated price so won’t be going (and more fool the people who do) but something really needs to be done about it.
I can imagine there will probably be empty seats now if people refuse to pay the inflated price and the tout just takes the hit, most gigs I go to don’t generally sell out but I didn’t realise (maybe naively) that it had become such a massive industry.
Probably because the football clubs have done a lot of market research to find the maximum possible amount that footballists will pay, and are charging precisely that. Any more, and you get bad press. Singing types have misjudged the price, and there is plenty of scope for third party profits before the public go "f£%k that for a game of soldiers"
Most artists wouldnt sell tickets for their 'real' value (or rather the value their fans would pay) - because they would be seen as greedy b
ds.
There have been a few articles posted suggesting that promoters sell bundles of tickets to the big ticket reseling websites and take a cut.
Have to say I am not a fan of touts either.
With regards to counterfeit items - it is illegal but its a question of policing it. Trying to police someone selling fakes when 20,000+ fans are walking aorund at 11pm is probably a hassle.
ds.There have been a few articles posted suggesting that promoters sell bundles of tickets to the big ticket reseling websites and take a cut.
Have to say I am not a fan of touts either.
With regards to counterfeit items - it is illegal but its a question of policing it. Trying to police someone selling fakes when 20,000+ fans are walking aorund at 11pm is probably a hassle.
The photo system I believe is in use for Glastonbury, I think it would be fairly easy to introduce actually, especially now as most people have access to something that can take a digital photo.
My problem with is that there are obviously people sitting on there fat a*se buying and selling tickets keeping them away from the real fans, probably not paying tax on the money they make and leaving empty places in concerts when people aren’t prepared to pay the inflated prices.
Could ebay introduce a system where tickets can only sell for 25% more than the face value, this would still allow people to sell tickets on if they can’t use them and leave more tickets in the system for the fans. I’d rather pay the artist more than some d!ckhead sat at his computer all day!
My problem with is that there are obviously people sitting on there fat a*se buying and selling tickets keeping them away from the real fans, probably not paying tax on the money they make and leaving empty places in concerts when people aren’t prepared to pay the inflated prices.
Could ebay introduce a system where tickets can only sell for 25% more than the face value, this would still allow people to sell tickets on if they can’t use them and leave more tickets in the system for the fans. I’d rather pay the artist more than some d!ckhead sat at his computer all day!
Countdown said:
Deveil's advocate mode.....
Why "should" it be illegal (the Football reason above makes sense but, other than that....)?
To me it seems like the normal free market supply and demand system in operation.
because the normal system of free market suppky and demand is not always ideal - it might a lot of peopel a lot of money but that is not always a good thing.Why "should" it be illegal (the Football reason above makes sense but, other than that....)?
To me it seems like the normal free market supply and demand system in operation.
Mojooo said:
Countdown said:
Deveil's advocate mode.....
Why "should" it be illegal (the Football reason above makes sense but, other than that....)?
To me it seems like the normal free market supply and demand system in operation.
because the normal system of free market suppky and demand is not always ideal - it might a lot of peopel a lot of money but that is not always a good thing.Why "should" it be illegal (the Football reason above makes sense but, other than that....)?
To me it seems like the normal free market supply and demand system in operation.
If you (or a friend) have an O2 contract, you have access to priority tickets at O2 venues around the country. I have never failed to get tickets using that. Also, I use ticketmaster a lot and I now get priority booking a day earlier than general release. I go to a lot of gigs and see touts selling tickets at face value and sometimes below, even when the gig is sold out.
the amount of gigs i wouldnt have seen if ticket touts didnt exist would be massive. so many times ive forgotten to order tickets etc, i have no propblem with them. Ive never been ripped off by paying extotionat proices either, the phrase 'no thanks' is really usefull.
I got to see Roger Waters at Earls Court a few years ago for the face value of the ticket, i bought that from a tout, still can't work that one out.
I got to see Roger Waters at Earls Court a few years ago for the face value of the ticket, i bought that from a tout, still can't work that one out.
Countdown said:
Maybe in certain areas (such as "social" goods/services". But I can'y see why its not applicable to commercial goods such as music tickets?
Well I spose its a personal view. I would say that for music - the artists and the fans would probably want actual fans to attend the shw - not to have fans priced out of attending. I also think with these types of events there is much more price elasticity which allows touts to really rip people off. People will pay 5x for a gig but they may only pay 2x if baked beans were in short supply.With baked beans, arguably, there is a much larger supply and enough to go round, but also, in my view anyway, a social event like a gig I class differently. I'd rather see a sense of fairness than money making.
To some extent we already have restrictions on touting as some sites wont allow free charity gig tickets to be resold on their sites. These are private decisions by private companies though, not legislation.
Mojooo said:
Well I spose its a personal view. I would say that for music - the artists and the fans would probably want actual fans to attend the shw - not to have fans priced out of attending.
Some fans are obviously happy to pay the inflated prices, you could argue that 'real fans' would be prepared to pay more and therefore are likely to be using the touts. Why would you pay over the odds for a band you only just, sort of, like? Condi said:
Some fans are obviously happy to pay the inflated prices, you could argue that 'real fans' would be prepared to pay more and therefore are likely to be using the touts. Why would you pay over the odds for a band you only just, sort of, like?
That is the problem, real fans WOULD pay more - significantly more to a tout who is profiting at their expense. For a lot of other products people wouldnt pay so far over the odds - music events are probably quite unique in this respect.I have used touts before - and I have actually managed to get tickets much cheaper than face value but I have also had to pay over the odds - the point is you shouldn't have to and some fans really do stretch themselves.
I'd like to see much stricter ticketing rules to combat touting.
With the advent of Twitter there is loads of football touting going on, however it is generally for face value. Someone who pays for their season ticket and cant attend a certain game should be allowed to move it on. I've sold the wife's ticket to a male friend and no one has raised an eyebrow at the gate, as long as it's the right price (adult vs junior).
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