A shadow minister cautions that new ticket resale regulations may drive fans to the black market
Birmingham: So, there’s this new plan to tackle online ticket touts, right? But a shadow minister, Saqib Bhatti, is saying it might just push fans into the black market. He’s an Oasis fan, and he remembers how tricky it was to get tickets for their tour.
He’s worried that capping resale prices at 30% above the original price could actually make things worse. Instead of helping fans, it might just line the pockets of those touts even more.
Creative industries minister Sir Chris Bryant even quoted some lyrics from Charli XCX to make his point about high ticket prices. He mentioned seeing tickets that were originally £54 being sold for a whopping £400!
Sir Chris is looking at a new cap on resale prices and even considering dynamic pricing. They might also introduce licenses for resale platforms. It’s not just a chat about whether to do something; it’s about how to do it right.
Mr. Bhatti, who’s a Conservative shadow culture minister, said they’ll think about any proposals that could help fans. But he’s also cautious about new regulations that don’t really solve the problem.
He pointed out that the secondary ticket market is important for artists and fans. It helps people sell unwanted tickets and keeps venues full. The minister claims his reforms will protect fans and improve access to events, but Mr. Bhatti isn’t so sure.
He quoted someone from the Computer and Communications Industry Association, warning that strict regulations could just push ticket sales into informal settings, which wouldn’t be safe.
Mr. Bhatti believes this could lead to more black market activity and that the government might be making it harder for people to buy tickets spontaneously. He even mentioned empty seats at the Paris 2024 Olympics due to resale restrictions.
Coldplay is on board with the price cap idea, suggesting it should be no more than 10% above the original price, or even 0% like in Ireland. Sir Chris said ticket touts have been taking advantage of fans for too long, and it’s time to change that.
He reminisced about the old days when touts were just guys in raincoats, but now it’s all online, making it easier for them to grab tickets and sell them at crazy prices.
Sharon Hodgson, a Labour MP, thinks the resale cap should be as low as possible to discourage scalping. She also mentioned that laws should be international to tackle overseas operators, which is a tough nut to crack for events held abroad.
Sir Chris emphasized that fans deserve fair treatment and clear information when buying tickets. He’s okay with early bird and last-minute discounts, but he wants to ensure everything is transparent.
He wrapped it up by saying the UK has a fantastic live events scene, but the secondary ticket market needs to catch up. In his words, it’s a total rip-off!
