Music Week has reported on discussions at its previously reported Live & Direct conference in London last week on the hot topic of the secondary ticketing market.
As previously reported, the UK live sector has become increasingly concerned in recent years about the growth of the ticket touting industry which has grown in size and importance thanks to online touting and ticket auctioning operations. Most major promoters are now calling on the British government to introduce new laws to control the touts.
But Carl Leighton-Pope of the Leighton-Pope Organisation last week told Live & Direct that the government were unlikely to legislate in their industry's favour while many promoters did not have a legitimate ticket refunds policy which allows legitimate customers who buy tickets but who cannot then make an event to get a refund direct from the promoter.
But See Tickets MD Nick Blackburn responded by saying "[the live sector] will give refunds when we get [government] legislation [to outlaw touting]". Meanwhile DF Concerts chief Geoff Ellis warned of the dangers to the live sector of forcing promoters to offer unconditional refunds on ticket sales, arguing such a measure would cause "the whole industry to fall apart".
Representatives of those organisations trying to legitimise the secondary ticketing industry were also at the event, including Viagogo founder and CEO Eric Baker, who argued that if managed correctly the secondary ticketing market was good for the live industry.
But Blackburn wasn't convinced, responding: "There's always been touting but that doesn't make it right. If there was legislation against touting, 18,000 fans would get to see Led Zeppelin's gig at the O2 at a price that the artist wants. I think for the secondary market to say that they provide a service, they only provide a service to their pockets".