Resale sites refuse tickets for Ariana Grande benefit gig to prevent touts profiting

Ariana Grande’s charity concert for the victims of the Manchester terror attack will attempt to prevent touts from profiting from the event as the four major ticket resale sites refused to list the tickets.

Tickets for the ‘One Love Manchester’ gig will not be listed on secondary ticketing sites StubHub and Viagogo.

GetMeIn! and Seatwave, both of which are owned by Ticketmaster, will also not accept tickets. Ticketmaster has also agreed not to charge booking fees on tickets sold for the event that will raise money for those affected by the bombing at the Manchester Arena last week.

Grande will return to Manchester this Sunday to perform a benefit concert at the Emirates Old Trafford cricket ground in memory of the victims.

Twenty-two people were killed and dozens more were left injured after a bomb attack at the Manchester Arena last Monday following the conclusion of the pop star’s concert.

The 23-year-old will be joined by a host of other stars at the concert, including Justin Bieber, Coldplay, Katy Perry, Take That, Niall Horan, Miley Cyrus, Usher and Pharrell Williams.

All proceeds from the concert will be donated to the We Love Manchester emergency fund, which has been set up to support those left injured or bereaved by the attack.

Meanwhile, survivors of the attack who bought their tickets through resale websites for Grande’s Manchester Arena show will not be able to register for free tickets for the benefit gig.

‘One Love Manchester’ organisers offered survivors the option of signing up for free tickets to the event, but only if they went through primary ticketing agents such as Ticketmaster, Eventim, See Tickets or the Manchester Arena Box Office.

Tickets from GetMeIn! and Seatwave, Ticketmaster’s secondary platforms, will also be accepted if booking details are provided.

The Manchester Evening News newspaper spoke to Mark Fielden, who was hoping to take his daughter, Holly, 22, who was at the original show with her boyfriend after paying £215 (€247/$277) for two tickets from Viagogo.

“She was caught up in the explosion and although not physically damaged, she is suffering mentally with what happened,” he said.

“As a parent I was hoping by taking her myself she would get some closure and reassurance.”

Mark told the Evening News that he had contacted Viagogo for help, but is yet to receive a response.

“I don’t mind paying for two tickets for her as it will be going to the rightful cause. I just don’t want to get ripped off again,” he said.

Image: Emma