Ticket Resellers Give Cautious Welcome To Government Enquiry

Ticket resellers have cautiously welcomed a Government report into ticket touting, which was published today (January 10th).

The eagerly awaited findings of the Culture, Media and Sport select committee come after an extensive investigation into the ‘secondary ticket market’.

Among a number of key recommendations, MPs called for a “voluntary solution” to the issue of ticket resale, but stopped short of an outright ban.

The committee said that a total ban, which had been suggested by some promoters, could drive the market it underground.

If companies fail to achieve a code of conduct, however, Government backed legislation could be enforced.

Joe Cohen, CEO and Founder of ticket reseller Seatwave, one of the ticket companies who gave evidence at the inquiry, welcomed the committee’s decision.

“We are reassured that the Committee has categorically rejected the case for heavy restrictions on ticket resale that promoters lobbied so hard for,” he said.

But Cohen admitted that he was disappointed about suggestions for a levy on tickets resold and bought online through websites like Seatwave and eBay.

“The levy is simply a tax on consumers; the money raised would primarily go to the biggest artists like Take That and the Spice Girls,” he said.

The committee’s calls for a levy has been welcomed by The Resale Rights Society (RRS), however, who feel that the current system, which enables touts to make large profits, is unfair on artists. 

The RRS represents the managers of bands like Radiohead and Arctic Monkeys.