Leading Dutch musicians have called for stronger action to be taken against ticket scalpers, with a new manifesto having been presented to the Netherlands’ culture minister, Ingrid van Engelshoven.
The manifesto has been dubbed ‘Stop woekerhandel concertkaarten’, which translates as ‘Stop profiteering from concert tickets’.
The manifesto has been backed by leading Dutch artists Guus Meeuwis (pictured) and Blaudzun, with the Digital Music News website reporting that the opposition Socialist Party has also lent its support to the campaign.
The manifesto states: “Our fans pay through the nose, but the profits go to someone who adds nothing – except annoyance (and) lots of frustration.”
It adds: “Performances are therefore becoming less accessible to the real fans, who cannot always pay triple (the face value) for a ticket, so many seats are left empty unnecessarily.”
Van Engelshoven has already vowed to discuss the matter with industry stakeholders such as Ticketmaster and Mojo Concerts to determine whether tougher legislation is needed. Dutch public-service broadcaster NOS reported that Van Engelshoven has yet to propose any such legislation.
The manifesto also cited Dutch blockchain ticketing company GUTS Tickets as a possible solution to touting. Earlier this year, GUTS was named as the exclusive seller of tickets for comedian Jochem Myjer’s upcoming run of shows, powering what it claimed will be the “largest ticket sale on the blockchain to date.” The move ensured that tickets for Myjer’s gigs could not be resold.
Image: Dennistd
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