Asia

2019 in review: August

In August, the All Japan Concert and Live Entertainment Promoters Conference (ACPC) called for an overhaul of the Japanese ticketing system.

The Japanese promoters’ association issued a statement titled ‘Ticket Integrity’ calling for a “fairer secondary ticketing infrastructure.”

It came just two months after laws that prohibit ticket reselling in Japan came into force. Passed by Japan’s parliament last December, the legislation outlaws a number of actions in a bid to curb ticket scalping before the 2020 Olympics. These include the acquisition of tickets for the purpose of scalping and resale of tickets for sports events and concerts for more than the purchase price.

The ACPC said: “Ticket touting will not disappear tomorrow. From better education for consumers to strong enforcement, we will tackle the issue from all angles to help establish a fair ticketing system that truly puts fans first.”

The month also brought big news in the industry as Asia-Pacific live entertainment and ticketing company TEG entered the UK market by acquiring event promoter and venue operator The MJR Group.

Under the agreement, The MJR Group’s operations were incorporated into TEG’s global offering, with The MJR Group’s UK operations renamed as TEG UK.

TEG said the acquisition demonstrated its commitment to expanding its integrated model around the world and strengthens its position within the UK and European markets.

The MJR Group is based in the English city of Bristol and promotes and operates more than 2,000 shows a year. It has toured acts including 50 Cent, Sia, Hans Zimmer and Culture Club.

Later in the month, UEFA agreed to set an away ticket price cap for Champions League and Europa League ties during the 2019-20 season.

Away tickets now cost a maximum of €70 (£63.50/$77) in the Champions League and €45 in the Europa League.

The new regulation complemented the existing rule which stipulates that the price of tickets for supporters of the visiting team must not exceed the price paid for tickets of a comparable category that are sold to supporters of the home team. This excludes tickets available to season ticket holders, those who are members of a supporters’ club or tickets sold as part of a promotional package.

The move came after concerns were raised about the away ticket pricing battle that escalated between Barcelona and Manchester United for the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.

Click here to see the September 2019 review and here to see the July 2019 review.

Image: Martin Fisch

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