Campaigners at FanFair Alliance found tickets for almost 300 events across 13 venues in Manchester, Salford and Stockport were being touted on Viagogo, including Band On The Wall, Gorilla, Night & Day Cafe, The Star & Garter, YES, Rebellion, New Century and The White Hotel.
asserted
tickets → find → Wall
The three touts – based in Latvia, North America and Germany – were responsible for more than 75% of the more than 1,600 tickets being listed for resale on the website.
asserted
tickets → base → website
All were advertised at significantly over cost price.
asserted
All → advertise → price
The most expensive ticket listed was £5,899 for Mica Millar’s show at New Century – a 19,728% mark-up.
asserted
ticket → list → Century
Tickets to a 40th anniversary celebration of The Smiths’ The Queen Is Dead, featuring a conversation between the band’s drummer Mike Joyce and producer Stephen Street, were being touted for £549 each.
asserted
Queen → feature → 549
The investigation found other tickets were listed in breach of UK consumer law, with bogus details and seller information.
asserted
tickets → find → details
O2 research also found tickets for 2027 Manchester arena tours, including Tame Impala and Gracie Abrams, being listed on uncapped resale websites at more than 1,000% above face value, while tickets for artists including Tinie Tempah and Dizzee Rascal were priced at almost £6,000 each.
asserted
tickets → find → 6,000
Tinie Tempah said: “Seeing tickets for my Manchester show being resold for nearly £6,000 each is crazy.
asserted
tickets → say → 6,000
That’s not what live music is about.
asserted
music → ’ → what
“At a time when emerging artists and grassroots venues are working harder than ever to survive, it’s sad to see money being siphoned away by people who contribute nothing to live music but are happy to profit from it.
asserted
who → work → it
Fans deserve better.”
asserted
Fans → deserve → better
Mike Joyce from The Smiths said: “Manchester earned its reputation as one of the world’s great music cities through its venues, its artists and the fans who support them, not through ticket touts looking to make a quick profit.
asserted
who → say → profit
“Seeing tickets for shows being resold for thousands of pounds is outrageous.
asserted
tickets → see → pounds
Fans pay more, artists gain nothing, and venues see none of the benefit.
asserted
venues → pay → benefit
That’s not supporting live music, it’s taking money away from the scene that made Manchester what it is.”
asserted
it → support → scene
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Gareth Griffiths, director of partnerships and sponsorship at Virgin Media O2, said: “O2 is tired of professional ticket touts ripping off music fans, damaging our live music industry, and getting away with it.
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touts → read → it
“This new research shows just how insidious the ticket touting problem is and that no venue or show is immune to the harm it causes.
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it → show → harm
Its health and growth should not be compromised by offshore traders who are sucking money out of the city’s live economy and care only about lining their own pockets.
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who → compromise → pockets
We urge the Government to act quickly and ban ticket touting once and for all.”
asserted
We → urge → all
FanFair Alliance campaign manager Adam Webb said: “Ticket touts are typically attracted to large, high-demand shows.
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touts → say → shows
However, this new research demonstrates how events taking place in independent and grassroots venues are also being targeted.
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events → demonstrate → venues
“What we’re seeing in Manchester is literally the tip of the iceberg, and being replicated at small-scale shows across the UK, Europe and the US.
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seeing → see → UK
We urge the Prime Minister to make good on his Government’s promise to put fans first and end this industrial-scale rip-off.”
asserted
We → urge → off
A Viagogo spokesman said: “FanFair Alliance has drawn conclusions from listing prices instead of final sale prices, which include tickets sold as low as £16 for these events.
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which → say → events
“Presenting figures in this way is misleading and gives a distorted picture of what fans actually choose to pay.
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fans → present → what
“The highest prices you see on the platform have not sold yet, and inflated ticket listings are not likely to sell at any point.
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listings → see → point
“Viagogo takes its obligations under the law seriously and is fully compliant in the UK.
asserted
Viagogo → take → UK
Our policies prohibit speculative listings.”
asserted
policies → prohibit → listings
The Aporia
