SORT IT TOUT
MP calls for investigation into concert ticket giant’s ownership of resale sites which rip off fans
A TORY MP has demanded an urgent investigation into the harmful relationship between Ticketmaster and the tout sites they use to rip off fans.
Richard Bacon echoed the Daily Record’s stance, warning Parliament that the tight grip of Ticketmaster’s parent company Live Nation on the concert industry, via ownership of resale sites Get Me In! and Seatwave, should be forcibly loosened.
He also made a case for a one per cent levy to be slapped on tickets – to raise millions to fund enforcement against supertouts.
Ironically, the South Norfolk MP got involved when he was approached by prominent touts in his constituency to lobby for them. But their bid backfired when he went on the offensive against scalpers.
During his adjournment debate on Thursday, Bacon said: “Live Nation are a venue owner, a promoter of events, an artist management company and an operator in the primary ticketing business through ownership of Ticketmaster.
“They also own two of the leading secondary websites, Get Me In! and Seatwave, who have attracted so much controversy. That is a very obvious source of conflicts of interest.”
Bacon highlighted how Get Me In! commission on an inflated brief can be £100 – more than the price of the ticket.
He said: “If the secondary trading website is owned by the primary providers of the tickets – the concert promoters – they may make more from the resale of the ticket than by having originally issued it.
“In the second transaction, they are acting only as brokers, provided the secondary websites have enough tickets to sell. That type of conflict of interest is clear and should be dealt with firmly.
“There should be an investigation into firms such as Live Nation and whether their ownership structure is harming consumers and leading directly to abuse. My personal opinion is that it is.”
Bacon said self-regulation had failed, and the operation of touts had exploded, even amid investigations by the Competition and Markets Authority, HMRC and national Trading Standards.
He said: “We need firm and clear rules, as well as vigorous enforcement.
“For example, a one per cent levy on all tickets sold on websites for events in the UK would produce tens of millions of pounds to pay for consumer protection.”
Speaking after the debate, he said: “I’ve been very impressed at the thorough journalism in the Daily Record on ticket touts. I think it is a time for action, not words.” The Record and Sunday Mail have repeatedly highlighted the impact of Live Nation owning Ticketmaster, as well as the two secondary sites.
Last year, we told how fans faced paying 30 times the going rate in booking fees when tickets end up on Get Me In! or Seatwave.
In 2016, we told how Scots millionaire Andrew Newman harvested hundreds of Deacon Blue tickets – which were relisted on secondary sites.
Fans who tried to buy tickets for face value of £47.50 had to turn to Newman and ended up paying £135 when fees were added.
I think it is a time for action on touts, not words
MP RICHARD BACON ON CAMPAIGN