AIF and its festivals join plea to Government to crack down on secondary ticketing
This weekend, AIF and its festivals joined 80 leading representatives of the music, sport and theatre industries to call on the Government to offer greater protection to fans by allowing an amendment to a clause in the Consumer Rights Bill.
The clause would force secondary ticketing sites to be more transparent. The signatories in the open letter, published on The Independent website yesterday include Iron Maiden, One Direction’s management, AIF’s festivals, members of Radiohead, Gallows, the Rugby Football Union and the England and Wales Cricket Board amongst others.
The amendments would mean that secondary ticketing sites such as Viagogo, Stubhub, Get Me In! and Seatwave would be required to provide information including the face value of the ticket, the identity of the seller and whether a re-sale breaches terms and conditions. Although the clause was backed in the House of Lords last year, the Government has this weekend informed that it would be stripped from the Consumer Rights Bill, claiming that the measure would “overburden individual fans with red tape”.
A report by the Metropolitan Police unit, Operation Podium in 2012 found that “due to the surreptitious way that large numbers of “primary” tickets are diverted straight on to secondary-ticket websites, members of the public have little choice but to try to source tickets on the secondary ticket market”. It said, “the lack of legislation outlawing unauthorised resale of tickets and the absence of regulation of the primary and secondary-ticket market encourages unscrupulous practices, a lack of transparency and fraud”.
The bill returns to the House of Commons today, where the Government will decide on whether or not the amendments will go through.
You can read the full open letter on CMU.
Full list of signatories:
Adam Brown, Brownstock
Ali McLean, DHP Concerts / No Tomorrow Festival
Andy Bell, Festibelly
Andy Smith, Kendal Calling
Angus Baskerville and Charlie Myatt, 13 Artists
Anthony Addis, Brontone Management
Barry Drinkwater, Global Merchandising Solutions
Brian Havill, England and Wales Cricket Board
Bullet For My Valentine
Cancer Bats
Caroline Maclennan, Hebridean Celtic Festival
Chris Tofu, London Remixed Festival
Craig Jennings and Don Jenkins, Raw Power Management
Dave Newton, WeGotTickets
Emma Banks and Mike Greek, Creative Artists Agency
Emma Boggis, Sport and Recreation Alliance
Freddie Fellowes, The Secret Garden Party
Gallows
Geoff Meall, The Agency Group
Harvey Goldsmith CBE
Hugh Phillimore, Cornbury Festival
Ian McAndrew, Wildlife Entertainment
Ian Ritchie, Rugby Football Union
James Scarlett, ArcTanGent
Jane Beese, Meltdown
Jeff Craft, X-Ray Touring
Jim Winship, The Event Services Association
Jo Dipple, UK Music
Joe Buirski, Fire in the Mountain
Joe Gibbs, Belladrum Tartan Heart
John Empson, Eden Sessions
John F. Smith, Musicians Union
John Jackson, K2 Agency
John Rostron, SWN Festival
Jon Webster, Music Managers Forum
Joshua Sanger, Barn On The Farm
Julia Calver, UK Centre for Events Management
Julian Bird, Society of London Theatre
Kate Hewett, Tramlines
Katherine Goodenough, Greenbelt Festival
Lee Denny, Leefest
Lisa Burger, National Theatre
Martin Laws, Pangaea
Michael Downey, Lawn Tennis Association
Moose Blood
Nicholas Crow, Fling Festival
Nick Chambers, Beat-Herder Festival
Nick Mason (Pink Floyd), Ed O’Brien (Radiohead), and Sandie Shaw, Co-Chairs, Featured Artists Coalition
Nick Tanner, Glastonbudget
Nick Thomas, HQ Theatres & Hospitality Ltd
Oliver Jones, Deer Shed Festival
Oscar Thornton, Farr Festival
Pablo Janczur, Brecon Jazz
Paul Bliss, Blissfields
Paul Flower, Profound Media & Management
Paul Reed, Association of Independent Festivals
Paul Roberts, Phil McIntyre Entertainment
Peter Davies, Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru
Peter Elliott, Primary Talent International Agency
Peter Nosworthy, Nozstock Festival
Rachel Tackley, UK Theatre Association
Ralph Broadbent, Truck
Ralph Broadbent, Y-Not Festival
Reece Miller, We Are FSTVL
Richard Griffiths, Modest Management
Rob Challice, Coda Agency and Larmer Tree Festival
Rob Da Bank, Bestival/Camp Bestival
Rod Smallwood, Phantom Music Management
Roger Tomlinson and Andrew Thomas, The Ticketing Institute
Roger Woodhall, Bournemouth 7s
Sam Eldridge, Urok Management
Sean McLoughlin, Village Green
Sidharth Sharma, Shambala
Simon Maltas, 2000 Trees
Simon Watson, Sidewinder Management
Sofia Hagberg, End of the Road Festival
Stuart Galbraith, Kilimanjaro Live and Sonisphere
Turbowolf
While She Sleeps
Will Brown, In the Woods Festival