A powerful coalition of music superstars, including Coldplay and Dua Lipa, is demanding immediate government action to shield fans from what they describe as 'parasitical' online ticket touts. They are calling for a legal cap on the resale price of tickets to combat exploitative practices that price genuine fans out of live events.
Stars Unite Against Touting
The campaign has garnered widespread support from the music industry, with backing from Radiohead, New Order, Mark Knopfler, Iron Maiden, PJ Harvey, and Mercury Prize winner Sam Fender. They have joined forces with consumer champion Which?, the FanFair Alliance, and major entities like O2 and the Football Supporters’ Association to pressure Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to honour a pre-election pledge to protect consumers.
In a joint statement, the coalition argued that new protections are urgently needed to fix the 'extortionate and pernicious secondary ticketing market'. They stated that for too long, certain resale platforms have enabled touts to bulk-buy tickets using online bots the moment they go on sale, only to relist them at massively inflated prices.
The Shocking Scale of Inflated Prices
Recent investigations by Which? have exposed the staggering mark-ups fans are forced to contend with. The controversy was highlighted during the Oasis reunion tour sales, where tickets for Wembley Stadium shows appeared on Stubhub for up to £3,500 and on Viagogo for over £4,400.
Other egregious examples uncovered include:
- A Coldplay ticket for Wembley being resold for £814.
- A ticket for the All Points East festival in London, with a face value of just £70, listed on Viagogo for an astonishing £114,666.
The investigation also found evidence of speculative selling, where tickets are advertised on secondary sites like Viagogo and StubHub before the seller has even purchased them. Tickets for a Busted vs McFly show in Glasgow were available at double the price on these platforms while still being on sale at face value from the original retailer, Ticketmaster.
Government Pledge and Industry Calls for Action
Despite the government's promise to cap resale prices, more than a year has passed since the commitment was made, and seven months since its consultation closed, with no clear timeline for new legislation.
Lisa Webb, a consumer law expert at Which?, emphasised that a price cap is a critical step and urged the Prime Minister to include it in the next King’s Speech. Adam Webb of the FanFair Alliance highlighted that a cap has been successfully adopted in other countries like Ireland and Australia and is the only pragmatic way to address this problem.
In response, Viagogo stated that most sellers are individuals and that evidence shows price caps push consumers towards unregulated sites with higher fraud rates. Stubhub International asserted its compliance with UK regulations and commitment to a safe, transparent marketplace.
The collective message from artists and campaigners is clear: the time for action is now to deliver for the fans who are the lifeblood of the UK's live events industry.
