Ticketmaster meets with NSW ministers

Ticketmaster meets with NSW ministers, while Viagogo report finds 500,000 Aussies have been scammed

Ticketmaster’s MD of International Resale, Christoph Homann, was in Australia to meet with NSW ministers about proposed legislation to give fans the opportunity to purchase tickets safely and tackle fraudulent conduct in resale ticketing markets. Ticketmaster said: “Our view is that there will be considerable unintended consequences if the Government’s proposal is implemented as it stands now. Ticketmaster believes a ‘pan Australian’ approach with the support of other primary ticketing companies would be best suited to assisting the NSW Government’s goal to ensure a safe and secure resale marketplace for fans. “The best way to protect fans, stop scalpers and curb the growth of unscrupulous resale sites is for the ticketing industry to take the lead and implement industry wide self-regulation measures.” To that end, as the worldwide leader in ticketing, Ticketmaster intends to create a ticket resale market in Australia by early 2014. This platform will offer an industry leading money back guarantee and anti scalper/anti-fraud measures allowing fans to transact with confidence.” Meanwhile, a report by Galaxy Research commissioned by newly arrived ticketing site Viagogo claims that half a million Australians have been scammed in the past 12 months when buying tickets online especially on eBay and Gumtree. It says fans would turn up at events to find they’d bought a dud, or tickets they paid for never arrived by mail. According to the data, the key priorities for 88% of people buying online was knowing their money was secure and the authenticity of the tickets guaranteed. Viagogo’s CEO Eric Baker said his company is “looking to address (the problem) by making sure ticket sellers don’t get paid until the buyer of the ticket goes to the event.” Baker said he’d struck deals with some AFL teams, and is also talking to music festivals.