UK industry names call for tighter legislation on secondhand ticket sales

UPDATE: The House of Commons has voted against the amendment. 

Today in the UK (January 12) the House of Commons vote to overturn a clause in the Consumer Rights Bill that was backed by the House of Lords earlier last year.

The clause requires ticket resellers to state their name, the original pricing of the ticket, seat details and the details of their employment if it relates to the entertainment industry and whether or not the ticket is being sold in breach of terms and conditions of the original purchase.

Leading figures from all facets of the entertainment and sports industry have made a push for the British Government to instate tougher restrictions and transparency on the secondhand ticket industry. Rob Da Bank (Bestival), Nick Mason (Pink Floyd), Iron Maiden, Ed O’Brien (Radiohead) and One Direction’s managers are just a few on the list of 80 plus signatures published by The Independent showing support in an open letter to the ministers of the House Of Commons.

“Clause 33 of the Consumer Rights Bill would give consumers looking for tickets basic information which the secondary platforms have been so keen to hide: who they’re buying from, the face value of the ticket, the seat number and, importantly, whether that ticket is being sold in contravention of its terms and conditions,” the open letter partly reads.

“As representatives from the live event industry, responsible for putting on shows ranging from international sporting fixtures and world class theatre to intimate gigs, we are committed to ensuring that event-goers have the best experience possible at a fair price.

"The way that the secondary ticketing market is allowed to operate at present can seriously undermine that effort.”

The move targets online platforms used for reselling tickets such as Seatwave, StubHub, Get Me In! and Viagogo, all of which operate in Australia. You can read the entire open letter here.