Liverpool’s Echo Arena has defended its ticket queuing system after a backlash as Paul McCartney tickets were found on resale sites for 10 times their face value cost.
The arena said its method was the “fairest way” to buy tickets, according to the Liverpool Echo newspaper. However, many fans are calling for the system to be reviewed.
Primary tickets for the Beatles legend sold out in minutes. However, tickets were soon being offered on StubHub, Viagogo and eBay for more than double the face value.
One Twitter user said: “So I wait patiently on the EchoArena website to order Paul McCartney tickets, yet sells out fast. However one quick look on Viagogo and StubHub has plenty, where people are reselling for a quick profit only. Utterly disgusting practice. How is this allowed?”
Adam Webb from anti-touting campaign group FanFair Alliance highlighted that for an 11,000-capacity venue, approximately two per cent of tickets (221) are listed across the four main resale sites.
“That’s still two per cent of inventory which should have been purchased by fans, and you can totally understand why people are up in arms – especially when they see speculators listing tickets for up to £1,886.00. All facilitated by Viagogo and StubHub and their parasitical business practices,” he told M-Magazine.
Webb added: “Despite on-going enforcement action from the Competition & Markets Authority and increased pressure from Government, Viagogo and StubHub are still listing tickets in breach of UK consumer law.
“Aside from advertising tickets that their sellers apparently don’t have, Viagogo are providing no mandatory information about seat numbers or about whether tickets are being listed by businesses (as opposed to consumers). They also continue to operate in breach of an Advertising Standards Authority ruling about misleading pricing practices.
“Meanwhile, StubHub are also frequently listing resale tickets without seat numbers – which is a clear breach of the Consumer Rights Act. Both sites are then using pay-per-click advertising to appear at the top of Google search, without any disclosure that they are listing ‘resale’ tickets.”
Image: darkmoon1968
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