Ticketmaster is set to launch its Verified Fan anti-scalping programme in the UK.
According to the Times newspaper, the company said it intends to launch Verified Fan in the UK but has yet to set a date. Details of how the scheme would work have still to be finalised.
Verified Fan has been introduced in the US over the last year and has already been used in sales for major tours featuring acts such as Harry Styles, Ed Sheeran and Twenty One Pilots.
The platform asks those hoping to buy tickets to provide personal information, including their phone number, email and social handles. Verified Fan then assesses whether they are human, looking for clues like past ticket-buying history and social posts, and lets ticket-buyers know if they’ve made the cut.
Ticketmaster said earlier this year that less than one per cent of tickets sold through the Verified Fan programme have so far ended up in secondary ticket markets, compared to what is usually a double-digit percentage.
Ticketmaster did not respond to a request for further details of the UK launch.
However, it has also attracted criticism, with an outcry over its use in the upcoming sale of Taylor Swift tickets. In announcing the Reputation Tour, Swift and Ticketmaster released a video that said fans are invited to participate in “boost activities” which will “improve their place in line”. Fans can, for example, watch Swift music clips for free, but the video suggests they can also move up to ‘Priority’ category by going to ‘Shop the store’ to buy merchandise or by purchasing the singer’s album.
Some suggested the scheme gave wealthier fans an advantage over others in securing tickets.
IMAGE: Ticketmaster
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