Billboard (11/27/18) Smirke, Richard

To avoid a costly court case, Viagogo has consented to undertake a "comprehensive overhaul" of its U.K. website to ensure its compliance with British consumer law. Under court order, the secondary ticketing site must alert buyers if there is a risk of being denied admission, where they will be seated inside the concert venue, and the identity of the individual or business selling the tickets. Viagogo also has pledged to not use misleading information about the availability and popularity of tickets to pressure music fans into making a transaction. In addition, the company is mandated to make it easier for customers to get refunds and prevent speculative selling of tickets that a seller does not own and may not be able to provide. The court order requires Viagogo to amend its business practices by mid-January, with heavy fines and prison sentences for executives threatened if the terms of the order are violated. "This court order is a victory for anyone who decides to buy a ticket through Viagogo," said Competitions and Market Authority (CMA) CEO Andrea Coscelli. "We have been clear throughout our investigation that people who use these resale websites must know key facts before parting with their hard-earned money, including what seat they will get and whether there is a risk they might not actually get into the event at all."

Read the full article on Billboard.