Sheeran Chips In: Secondary Ticketing

Ed Sheeran is the latest artist to speak out against secondary ticketing sites after tickets for his forthcoming UK arena tour ended up on sale at hugely inflated prices.

Sheeran’s representatives issued a statement saying that the singer is “deeply concerned” about secondary ticketing, adding: “We urged all fans not to engage with them. We are vehemently opposed to the unethical practices that occur in the secondary market”.

No surprises here and the issue is hardly a new one, but largely through the work of the Fan Fair Alliance, it has once again become a hot topic in the political community. Members of the House of Lords recently put forward amendments to the Digital Economy Bill aimed at curbing the secondary ticketing market.

The amendments include a rule that would prohibit anyone reselling a ticket unless they have been authorised in writing to do so by the event organizer, stopping the harvesting of tickets in bulk and carrying a maximum fine of £5,000.

Is it finally time to admit that certain parts of the ticketing industry are fundamentally broken, with some major ticketing companies and live promoters complicit in secondary ticketing? It certainly feels like self-regulation is near impossible and that Government intervention is required.