Following their previously reported purchase of US based secondary ticketing outfit TicketsNow earlier this month, primary ticketing giant Ticketmaster yesterday announced it had acquired a UK based secondary ticketing concern called Get Me In!
The ticketing major seemingly plans to incorporate Get Me In! with its own TicketExchange programme, ultimately creating an integrated ticketing platform where customers can see official and resale tickets that are available for events, in much the same way an Amazon search will give you listings of both new and resale routes for books and CDs.
Ticketmaster's dabblings in the secondary ticketing market is extra interesting given the controversy that continues to surround the growth of online ticket touting. As much previously reported, many in the live sector have expressed concern at the growing trend for individuals to buy tickets to in demand events with the intent of selling them for profit via auction sites like eBay or sites specifically set up for the resale of gig tickets, like Get Me In!
Politicians have also expressed concerns about the growth of touting, though they have generally called on the live sector to find its own solutions to address those concerns, even though some in the sector are of the opinion tighter government regulation would be the best solution. As also previously reported, the artist managers have proposed charging a levy on resales that is passed back to the live and artist communities - the idea being that secondary ticketing sites that sign up to the levy and make certain guarantees to their customers would gain official recognition from the industry. However, the secondary ticketing sites have not responded well to those proposals, and the gig promoters also have been quite quiet about the levy idea.
But with the likes of Ticketmaster now moving into the secondary ticket space it seems likely online ticket touting is definitely here to stay, and the live sector and wider music business will have to make the best of it that they can.
Confirming the deal, Ticketmaster UK MD Chris Edmonds told reporters: "We believe that the best we can do for our consumers, clients and the UK live entertainment ticketing industry is to actively engage the exchange and resale sector of the market. We look forward to working with Get Me In! to provide consumers with the highest levels of choice, protection and service and to keep the value of a ticket as much as possible where it belongs, within the live entertainment industry".
Needless to say, others in the secondary ticketing space, while facing new competition from Ticketmaster's ticket resale platform, see the ticketing giant's move into ticket resales as something that legitimises their whole business.
Always keen to comment on any story relating to his sector, the boss of secondary ticketing outfit Viagogo, Eric Baker, said yesterday: "Ticketmaster has clearly realised what was spelt out in the government's report [on secondary ticketing] - the secondary market offers real benefits for fans and is a booming market. As the largest secondary ticketing exchange in Europe, we are always excited to see the further validation of the industry".
Get Me In! was launched in 2003 by James Gray, Paul Montagne and Don Hughes. Specifics of the Ticketmaster deal have not been revealed, though it is thought the service will continue to operate from its existing London HQ, with current General Manager Andrew Blanchman staying in that role, and Gray and Montagne keeping their Senior Director roles.