Memorandum submitted by P3 Music Ltd
I am writing on behalf of P3 Music Ltd, which
manages the careers of pop group Deacon Blue and jazz guitarist
Martin Taylor, to welcome the Committee's inquiry into ticket
touting.
Britain has one of the most vibrant musical
sectors in the world. There is an extensive and diverse choice
of live music, theatre, arts, and concert events across the country.
This musical sector attracts millions of domestic
and international visitors each year bringing excitement, enjoyment
and a huge economic and social contribution.
Yet sadly these events are increasingly plagued
by ticket touting. A problem that is becoming endemic. Touting
creates many problems:
— Fans, supporters and the general
public are being ripped off and priced out of their favourite
events.
— Tickets are being sold by unauthorised
secondary agents and touts that have none of the standard consumer
protections that should apply.
— Resources (both financial and administrative)
spent addressing touting are diverted away from re-investment
in our sectors.
— The reputation of events is brought
into disrepute.
— Public order and policy concerns
including a flourishing of the black market and the undermining
of security and policing arrangements.
Domestically the people most at risk are young,
enthusiastic music lovers who's first experience of the live music
industry is now increasingly a bad experience of being ripped
off and sending money to internet touts for tickets that simply
never materialise. Touts also traditionally prey on overseas visitors,
who may find themselves hassled, ripped off or sold a fraudulent
ticket. It also hurts the tourism industry, the wider UK economy,
and the reputation of the country as a whole.
The problem of ticket touting has been fuelled
in recent years by the growth of the internet and the unwillingness
of internet companies and auction sites to prevent touting on
their sites. They continue to allow tickets to be sold despite
knowing that these tickets carry terms and conditions that prohibit
their resale, rendering them void.
Evidence demonstrates that secondary agents
(touts) are increasingly engaging in a number of sophisticated
purchasing practices which decrease the chances of genuine fans
securing tickets at face value from the event owner.
All of our industries do as much as we can to
tackle touting. A range of measures are in place and an increasing
use of technology and ticketing ID is being pioneered. But there
is only so much that artistes can do alone.
The industry needs the direct intervention of
Government to support its efforts to protect our events and our
customers. Existing consumer protection laws are ill-defined to
address ticket touting.
Ticket touting is a socially and economically
harmful activity which marginalises fans, rips off consumers,
and damages every industry in the Culture, Media and Sport sector.
It has no place in a modern society and we would
urge the Committee to come down hard on the touts and recommend
Government legislation to outlaw ticket touting.
May 2007
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