UK Strengthens Efforts to Curb Concert Ticket Touting
UK intensifies plans to outlaw for-profit ticket resales, with artists backing the move against touts.
UK Intensifies Crackdown on Concert Ticket Touts
The UK government is ramping up efforts to curb ticket touting, aiming to protect fans and artists from inflated resales. The move follows pressure from prominent musicians like Tinie Tempah and the Smiths’ drummer Mike Joyce. Their voices add weight to the ongoing campaign for tighter regulations on ticket reselling at exorbitant prices.
Labour leader Keir Starmer previously vowed to eliminate profiteering by banning the resale of concert tickets on platforms such as Viagogo and StubHub. Although this commitment featured prominently in the Labour manifesto for the 2024 elections, the proposal was notably absent from this year’s king’s speech, raising concerns about its implementation.
Despite this setback, sources confirm that the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has formed a dedicated team to draft the necessary legislation. This team is reportedly considering measures to prevent ticket reselling platforms from evading UK law by operating offshore.
Cultural advocates within the government, such as Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, have emphasized the significance of this issue. Nandy has reiterated the government’s commitment to making this a priority, with further announcements expected at the upcoming Labour conference.
Artists Rally Against Ticket Touts
Recent investigations into ticket resale practices have highlighted the extent of the issue. In Greater Manchester, tickets for multiple events at venues such as Band On The Wall and Gorilla were found being sold significantly above face value. Some listings even omitted crucial seller information, breaching competition rules.
Among the most egregious mark-ups was a ticket for Mica Millar’s performance at New Century, which was being resold at a staggering 19,728% markup. Meanwhile, tickets for a Smiths’ anniversary event were listed at over ten times their original value.
Research from the FanFair Alliance indicates that a disproportionately large share of ticket reselling originates from just three major touts based abroad. However, Viagogo disputes these findings, downplaying the alleged dominance of these entities.
The crackdown on ticket touting is gaining momentum, with artists like Dua Lipa adding their voices to calls for meaningful change. They argue that fans deserve access to tickets at fair prices, free from the exploitative practices of ticket touts who contribute nothing to the music scene.
Photo by Razvan Chisu on Unsplash
