Organisers of hip-hop musical Hamilton in London’s West End have defended its paperless ticketing scheme, claiming it has “exceeded expectations” in combating touts.
Ticketmaster claims it has “all but eliminated” touts for Hamilton show, with producers claiming to have encountered no “third party or touting issues” at the London run to date.
According to The Stage website, Hamilton producers have pledged to remain vigilant against those who try to resell tickets to the highly sought-after musical at inflated prices.
The announcement comes after it was reported Hamilton fans in the UK that bought tickets on resale websites for up to £6,000 ($8,033/€6,807) could face being turned away from the Victoria Palace theatre. Many tickets have been offered at inflated prices via Viagogo, but organisers believe they are now invalid because of the way they are advertised.
A spokeswoman for Hamilton’s producers told The Stage: “Of the four principal unauthorised online secondary ticketing sites, such as Viagogo, three are not carrying, nor advertising, any Hamilton tickets.
“On the fourth site, in almost every case, the way the tickets are advertised is in breach of consumer regulations and where they are identified, any such tickets will not be admitted to the theatre nor refunded on the night.”
The update comes soon after the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) move to take enforcement action against resale sites suspected of breaking consumer protection laws.
Ticketmaster UK’s vice-president for theatre and comedy, Gary Roden, said: “We’re really pleased that the credit-card entry system has all but eliminated ticket resale.”
He added: “This is the first time this technology has been used in the West End and the first week has been exceptional, with patrons entering the venue very smoothly.”
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