Category: Uncategorised

  • New Code prohibits Members from listing tickets on exchange platforms that will not comply fully with CMA regulations
  • Code developed by the Board of the Fair Ticketing Alliance in conjunction with respected law firm, Farrers & Co LLP
  • Code to form push towards getting agreement on a licensing system for responsible traders including the right to buy and re-sell tickets commercially
[LONDON, 15 June 2018]The Fair Ticketing Alliance (FTA) today launches a tough, new industry Code of Practice to build greater trust with live entertainment and music fans and help raise the ethical standards of the secondary ticketing sector. The new Code, developed over time by the Board of the FTA and Farrers & Co LLP, strengthens ethical practices in the sector and goes far beyond what is required by law. The move comes just two months after the launch of the FTA and on the back of growing momentum for the Alliance. Fair Ticketing Association chairman, Stephen Lee said: “We strongly believe there is a rightful place for secondary ticketing within the whole ticketing eco-system. The secondary market is thriving as consumers value the choice, convenience and guarantees that it offers which are simply not available in the primary market. But we know we have to behave responsibly to build consumer trust in our businesses, weed out any bad apples and generate repeat custom from fans. “We’re music lovers as much as anyone else. We just want to provide a great service to other live entertainment fans and do the right thing by them. That’s why we have produced our industry-leading Code of Practice, which goes above and beyond what is required by law. “All our Members have signed up to the provisions in this tough new Code and we encourage everyone else in the sector to follow suit. This includes refraining from using any secondary exchange platforms that are not making moves to fully comply with CMA regulations.” The new Fair Ticketing Alliance Code of Practice goes significantly further than any other initiatives in the sector including:
  • FTA members must be committed to adhering to all parts of the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) April 2018 secondary ticketing marketplace undertakings, including providing for publication of business seller information. FTA members also would not list on any reseller sites which do not provide facility for sellers to provide all relevant information related to this compliancy.
  • FTA members must not buy or sell tickets for events where all the proceeds from the event go to charity.
  • FTA members must not purchase tickets for any promoter/artist/venue restricted events, the restrictions for which meet CMA criteria as not being unfair.
The full Fair Ticketing Alliance Code of Practice can be found on our website: https://fairticketing.co.uk/code-of-practice/ The Fair Ticketing Alliance was established to campaign for a fair, trustworthy and flexible ticket market that works for all live entertainment fans. It was set up by a group of responsible UK ticket traders representing a cross section of the industry. The campaign aims to lobby for changes in UK law to give responsible, secondary operators the right to buy and re-sell tickets whilst protecting consumer interests. Mr Lee concluded: “Our aim is to work with government, regulators and others to create a vibrant, but safe, marketplace for ourselves and fans alike. Ultimately, we want to see the introduction of a licensing system for commercial re-sellers that gives approved vendors the right to buy and re-sell tickets whilst protecting consumers through our strong Code of Practice. “This is the first step of our journey. We look forward to working with more and more people who share our objective so we can turn it into reality.”   — ENDS – NOTES TO EDITORS   More information about the Fair Ticketing Alliance can be found on its website: www.fairticketing.co.ukor by following us on Twitter: @FairTicketing   Media contact: Pete Bowyer press@fairticketing.co.uk 07740 913886

[LONDON, 02 May 2018] The Fair Ticketing Alliance campaign today congratulated Pete Wishart MP on securing a Parliamentary Debate on the key issue of secondary ticketing. The Alliance was set up by a group of responsible UK ticket traders representing a cross section of the industry. It comes in the wake of increasing market uncertainty which threatens the future of their mainly small, often family-run, businesses and the valuable service they provide to fans.

Fair Ticketing Alliance chairman, Stephen Lee said: “Issues around secondary ticketing are critical for all live music and entertainment fans across the UK and Pete Wishart deserves support for raising them in Parliament. It may come as a surprise, but we agree with him that there is a lot wrong with the current ticketing market. It is failing to meet the demands of live entertainment fans in the UK and we want to see change so consumers get the best deal. We’re happy to work with anyone who shares those ends. “The Government deserves praise for introducing reforms into the secondary market that have led to some positive results to protect consumers. We strongly welcomed recent moves to outlaw bots, although we remain way behind where the US is on this issue. We also strongly support action by the Competition and Markets Authority against secondary website platforms that do not provide sufficient transparency to allow re-sellers to comply with the law. We urge all such sites to do so immediately. “However, the Fair Ticketing Alliance believes more needs to be done to reform the market as a whole by licensing responsible, secondary operators and granting them the right to re-sell tickets, as happens in the US. The authorities should also act against vertical integration where it’s detrimental to consumers, and introduce more transparency into the primary market. This will improve fans’ experience, whilst protecting jobs and tax revenues for the Government.” The Fair Ticketing Alliance has three core objectives which it is campaigning for: 1. Greater legal and regulatory clarity about existing UK laws on secondary ticketing; 2. Government and regulatory bodies to ensure that secondary website platforms allow traders to comply fully with the law; 3. Changes in UK laws to give responsible, secondary operators the right to re-sell tickets whilst protecting consumer interests.

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NOTES TO EDITORS

More information about the Fair Ticketing Alliance can be found on its website: www.fairticketing.co.uk or by following us on Twitter: @FairTicketing Media contact: Pete Bowyer press@fairticketing.co.uk 07740 913886
  • Fair Ticketing Alliance offers “three cheers” for StubHub, GetMeIn! and Seatwave commitments to improve transparency for customers
  • But a big “boo” to Viagogo who appear yet to have addressed the concerns of the CMA
  • CMA enforcement action leads to welcome changes for live music and entertainment fans which the Fair Ticketing Alliance has been campaigning for
[LONDON, 25 April 2018] The Fair Ticketing Alliance (FTA), which brings together responsible secondary ticket operators, has today welcomed commitments from three of the four major secondary ticketing website platforms to comply fully with the law after enforcement action from the Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA). The Alliance is very disappointed, however, that the other major platform, Viagogo has failed to address concerns raised by the regulator. One of the key objectives behind the creation of the Fair Ticketing Alliance was to campaign for “Government and regulatory bodies to ensure that secondary website platforms allow traders to comply fully with the law”. Fair Ticketing Alliance member, Scot Tobias said: “The Fair Ticketing Alliance is delighted with the swift action of StubHub, GetMeIn and Seatwave to improve transparency for customers following action by the Competition and Markets Authority. Undoubtedly, this will improve the experience of live music and entertainment fans using their sites and is precisely in line with what we have been calling for as traders. “It’s disappointing, however, that not all secondary website platforms have followed suit. Our members have stopped listing tickets on certain sites who do not comply with everything set out by the CMA. We urge those sites to do so immediately. “We want consumers to be able to make clear, informed decisions when buying tickets on the secondary market, and we welcome the CMA’s view that these changes will help people pick the best deals for them. The FTA supports a secondary marketplace that offers choice, trust and flexibility and we believe that today’s announcement is another BIG step in the right direction.” The Fair Ticketing Alliance was launched to campaign for a fair, trustworthy and flexible ticket market that works for all live entertainment fans. The Alliance was set up by a group of responsible UK ticket traders representing a cross section of the industry. It comes in the wake of increasing market uncertainty which threatens the future of their mainly small, often family-run, businesses and the valuable service they provide to fans.

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NOTES TO EDITORS More information about the Fair Ticketing Alliance can be found on its website: www.fairticketing.co.uk or by following us on Twitter: @FairTicketing Media contact: Pete Bowyer press@fairticketing.co.uk 07740 913886
· Concerns remain about how these measures will stop ticket harvesting from abroad · Fair Ticketing Alliance urges Government to learn from US experience · Alliance holds out hand to help support government implementation of its plans [LONDON, 23 April 2018] The Fair Ticketing Alliance, which brings together responsible secondary ticket operators, has today welcomed plans by the Government to outlaw automated software to bulk buy tickets for resale on secondary ticketing website platforms. The Alliance has pressed for such measures to be introduced, following the US model, but remains concerned that the proposals will not stop unscrupulous re-sellers from using such software from abroad, circumventing the plans. Fair Ticketing Alliance chairman, Stephen Lee, said: “The Fair Ticketing Alliance welcomes plans by the Government to finally outlaw automated software to bulk buy tickets for resale on secondary ticketing website platforms. Our members have been pressing for such measures, but we don’t believe they go far enough to give fans a good and fair deal. In particular, we are concerned that these measures will have little impact on unscrupulous operators who harvest tickets by bots from abroad. “The Government should study the American legal environment on secondary ticketing closely, particularly that of New York State which leads the market in the US. They’re well ahead of the UK and have already banned bots, not just talked about it. They’ve also introduced a licensing system for responsible operators who have a right to resell tickets like other goods. This – along with tough enforcement – has helped to clean up the industry, prevented responsible re-sellers from moving offshore, and kept jobs and tax revenues in the State. “We urge the UK Government to follow suit here and learn from the US. We would happily use our knowledge of and experience in the market to work with the Government, regulators, politicians and anyone else interested in getting a better deal for all live entertainment fans.” The Fair Ticketing Alliance was launched to campaign for a fair, trustworthy and flexible ticket market that works for all live entertainment fans. The Alliance was set up by a group of responsible UK ticket traders representing a cross section of the industry. It comes in the wake of increasing market uncertainty which threatens the future of their mainly small, often family-run, businesses and the valuable service they provide to fans.

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NOTES TO EDITORS More information about the Fair Ticketing Alliance can be found on its website: www.fairticketing.co.uk or by following us on Twitter: @FairTicketing Media contact: Pete Bowyer press@fairticketing.co.uk 07740 913886
[LONDON, 16 April 2018] Today sees the launch of the newly created Fair Ticketing Alliance to campaign for a fair, trustworthy and flexible ticket market that works for all live entertainment fans. The Alliance was set up by a group of responsible UK ticket traders representing a cross section of the industry. It comes in the wake of increasing market uncertainty which threatens the future of their mainly small, often family-run, businesses and the valuable service they provide to fans. The campaign aims to lobby for changes in UK law to give responsible, secondary operators the right to re-sell tickets whilst protecting consumer interests. Fair Ticketing Association chairman, Stephen Lee said: “The ticketing market is currently failing to address the needs of live entertainment fans in the UK. A well-functioning secondary market should correct flaws in the primary market, but we are hamstrung by legal uncertainty that helps neither operators nor consumers. “We believe responsible commercial operators should be free to re-sell tickets, like consumers, without unfair restrictions. In return, operators should be properly licensed and comply with the highest standards of ethics.” The Fair Ticketing Alliance has three core objectives which it is campaigning for: 1. Greater legal and regulatory clarity about existing UK laws on secondary ticketing; 2. Government and regulatory bodies to ensure that secondary website platforms allow traders to comply fully with the law; 3. Changes in UK laws to give responsible, secondary operators the right to re-sell tickets whilst protecting consumer interests. The Government deserves praise for introducing reforms into the secondary market that have led to some positive results to protect consumers. However, the Fair Ticketing Alliance believes more needs to be done to reform the market as a whole by licensing secondary operators who meet the highest standards and introducing more transparency into the primary market. The Alliance intends to start speaking out on behalf of the industry and to engage politicians and others for legislative and regulatory changes that will improve the consumer experience, whilst protecting jobs and tax revenues for the Government. Mr Lee concluded: “For too long, the secondary ticketing industry has been in the shadows, suffering from a poor reputation, afraid to defend itself. We aim to change that. We’re all extremely passionate and have a deep knowledge of the entertainment areas in which we specialise, which enables us to provide a valuable and necessary service to other live entertainment fans. We just want to do the right thing within the law. “That’s why we created the Fair Ticketing Alliance. We hope others who support our aims will join us in the campaign to improve the ticketing experience for all fans.”

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NOTES TO EDITORS More information about the Fair Ticketing Alliance can be found on its website: www.fairticketing.co.uk or by following us on Twitter: @FairTicketing Media contact: Pete Bowyer press@fairticketing.co.uk 07740 913886
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