Pearl Jam has opted to use Ticketmaster’s SafeTix technology for its upcoming tour, despite the band’s rocky history with the ticketing giant.
The US rock band said the move gives fans the “best chance to buy ticket at face value for this tour,” as SafeTix tackles touts by automatically refreshing tickets every few seconds to offer a unique barcode that can’t be screenshotted.
They said in the announcement: “Pearl Jam has decided that tickets will be mobile only and strictly non-transferable. Ticket purchasers will be required to enter the venue with their guests. Ticketmaster SafeTix mobile tickets will be issued for all tickets for all shows and requires a smartphone to display. No other tickets will be accepted for entry.”
The Gigaton Tour, titled after its new album, will kick off at Toronto’s ScotiaBank arena on March 18.
Pearl Jam previously spoke out against Ticketmaster and its dominance in the market and began boycotting venues that used the ticketing giant as its vendor. The band also spoke before the U.S. Congress, arguing that they had tried to keep ticket prices below $20, but Ticketmaster added high service fees.
Ticketmaster said in a statement about the band’s decision: “Pearl Jam has a long-standing commitment to protecting and advocating for their fans, and keeping ticket prices fair is central to that promise. To ensure tickets are not offered to fans above face value, the band decided that all tickets for their tour would not be transferable to avoid resale at inflated prices. Non-transferability is being extensively communicated to fans throughout the announcement and sales process.
“Recognising that some fans may be unable to attend due to unforeseen circumstances, the band also requested that Ticketmaster develop a first-of-its-kind, Fan-to-Fan Face Value Ticket Exchange, where fans can sell their tickets at face value (including fees from original purchase) to other fans. The Exchange is free for both buyers and sellers to use without any additional fees. To eliminate consumer confusion, Ticketmaster has also notified major secondary marketplaces and resellers that tickets for this tour are not available for resale.”
Fans must sign up through Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan programme to gain access to the presale on January 23, followed by a general onsale on January 24.
Ticketmaster’s Fan-To-Fan Exchange will open for the tour on February 18 where fans can resell their tickets for the price they paid, including fees, and no fees will be charged to exchange users for buying or selling tickets on the exchange.
Image: Man Alive!
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