Leadership / 04.17.18
Out of the Shadows: Fair Ticketing Alliance Launched in Support of Secondary Ticketing Operators
Access Staff
Original article published on Billboard (04/17/18) by Richard Smirke
The Fair Ticketing Alliance has been established by a group of U.K. ticket brokers to push for "a fair, trustworthy and flexible ticket market that works for all live entertainment fans." Chairman Stephen Lee said the association aims to improve the reputation of the secondary ticketing industry. Lee is one of four main brokers behind the alliance, which also includes U.K.-based ticket vendors Ian Cole and Alistair Cunningham and U.S.-based Scot Tobias, who operates a British office trading tickets on secondary platforms. "Operators should be properly licensed and comply with the highest standards of ethics," said Lee. The alliance plans to lobby for changes in U.K. law to give secondary operators the right to re-sell tickets, and for greater legal clarity around existing laws pertaining to the secondary sector. In addition, it will engage with politicians and policymakers to ensure that "secondary website platforms allow brokers to comply fully with the law." According to a policy statement on the alliance's website, "This would produce a well-regulated, free-market environment similar to that in the United States which is favorably regarded." The alliance has been launched amid growing scrutiny of the secondary ticketing sector in the United Kingdom, with several government and regulatory reviews underway.
Read the full story on the Billboard website.
Tags: Reselling , News , Secondary Ticketing