The event security firm warns that, throughout the remainder of the summer festival season, music fans will typically have to pay GB pound 72 more for tickets bought in the so-called ‘secondary market’ of online auction sites. Sports fans and theatre-goers face potential price hikes of 73% and 131% respectively if they opt to purchase tickets via this route.
Despite these web sites promoting themselves as offering bargains, analysis by G4S shows that consumers using them often pay significantly higher prices than those who purchase tickets through legitimate outlets.
For example, the research by G4S reveals that music fans hoping to attend the Reading Festival this weekend now face last-minute ticket price hikes of up to 250%. Weekend camping tickets for Reading carry a face value of GB pound 155, but on some secondary ticket web sites they can be found being sold at prices in excess of GB pound 530.
Risk of fake tickets
G4S is warning consumers who are contemplating purchasing tickets from unauthorised sources to check that they are not fraudulent.
Mark Hamilton – managing director of G4S Events – told info4security: “The issue of the secondary ticketing market is clearly of great concern. Earlier this year, the Government warned that online operators needed to ‘clean up their act’. Purchasing tickets from unauthorised outlets really isn’t in the consumers’ best interests. Tickets bought in this way are likely to be highly over-priced and could even be fake. There’s anecdotal evidence to suggest that, left unchallenged, ticket touting may increase the risk of criminal activity and threaten the security of the event as a whole.”
Glastonbury saw a marked reduction in crime levels last year after the introduction of a rigorous online registration scheme designed to combat ticket touts. The research carried out by G4S found no evidence of tickets being touted for Glastonbury, whereas they were easily available for others events like the Reading Festival.
Exclusive deals with promoters
Hamilton added: “Despite a lack of any legislation, the secondary market does seem to be evolving towards a more regulated approach. Certain web sites, such as Viagogo, are starting to sign exclusive deals with performers and event organisers, positioning themselves as ‘official’ ticket resellers. Tickets bought from these outlets are guaranteed, which is obviously something we support, but there are still a vast number of sites that won’t offer consumers such peace of mind.”
*Calculated from a basket of online ticket sales from unauthorised online outlets in the second quarter of 2008