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‘We’re close to a genuine transformation’: Get Me In!/Seatwave shutdown reactions
The industry reacts to today's news that Ticketmaster is closing its European secondary sites
By IQ on 13 Aug 2018
image © Max Pixel
Anti-touting campaign group FanFair Alliance “warmly welcomes” Ticketmaster’s decision to close its European ticket resale sites, a spokesperson has said, as the latest step towards effecting a “genuine transformation of the secondary market” in the UK and beyond.
IQ revealed this morning that as of today (13 August), no new events may be listed on either Get Me In! or Seatwave, with both sites beginning a phased closure from October. The sites will be replaced by a new platform integrated into the main Ticketmaster site which caps the resale price at that paid by the original buyer.
“We are now much closer to a genuine transformation of the secondary market”
“After a long campaign to change the UK ticketing market and to put power into the hands of artists and their fans, the FanFair Alliance warmly welcomes this move by Ticketmaster,” reads FanFair’s statement. “While enforcement action is still urgently required to clamp down on rogue operators such as Viagogo, we are now much closer to a genuine transformation of the secondary market – where large-scale online touts are locked out, where innovation can flourish and the resale of tickets is made straightforward, transparent and consumer-friendly.
“We look forward to the roll out from October this year and seeing how these changes work in practice.”
“Ticket buyers will have another safe and trusted place to resell their tickets”
Jonathan Brown, chief executive of the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR), comments: “This excellent news from Ticketmaster means that ticket buyers will have another safe and trusted place to resell their tickets.
“However, resale for profit will continue elsewhere and the spotlight is therefore on the remaining marketplaces, including those based overseas. The ongoing enforcement work by the Competition and Markets Authority and others to ensure compliance with UK legislation is crucial.”
“We are delighted that Ticketmaster is making a substantial effort to tackle touts”
Ben Sebborn, co-founder and director of UK primary ticket agency Skiddle, says: “We are delighted that Ticketmaster are making a substantial effort to tackle the touts by closing down their exploitative secondary sites, Get Me In! and Seatwave. By introducing their new resale platform, we hope the ticket buying experience is more positive for music fans, who have had a raw deal to date.
“In 2016, Skiddle introduced our own Re:Sell platform to make face-value secondary ticketing fairer and more flexible. Even though it has taken some time, we are pleased to see the largest outlets finally following suit and responding to industry and consumer pressure.”
“It sounds like a step in the right direction for fans”
Alex Neill, managing director of home products and services at UK consumer association Which?, says: “We have repeatedly exposed secondary ticketing websites, including Seatwave and Get Me In!, for flouting the rules, so it’s good to see Ticketmaster taking positive action.
“It sounds like a step in the right direction for fans and we now hope it’s new platform will promote much-needed transparency in an industry that has been plagued by sharp practices.”
“This is a welcome move from Ticketmaster”
The news was also welcomed by the British government, with digital and creative industries minister Margot James commenting: “We want real fans to be able to see their favourite artists and events at a fair price.
“This is a welcome move from Ticketmaster and shows that they’re following our lead and taking a tough stance on cracking down on unacceptable behaviour in the secondary ticket market.”
“The battle to create a fairer, more transparent, resale market continues”
“We welcome the news that Ticketmaster is to close its resale sites, Get Me In! and Seatwave,” says Richard Davies, CEO of face-value resale site Twickets, a rival to the new Ticketmaster platform. “It is encouraging to see the biggest ticketing company in the world taking this step, which validates our face-value resale policy of the past seven years. The decision will hopefully enable those who are no longer able to attend a Ticketmaster show to pass on tickets at face value to those who wish to attend.
“However, the battle to create a fairer, more transparent, resale market continues. Companies such as Viagogo and StubHub, and Ticketbis in Europe, still tout tickets on an industrial scale, placing profit ahead of fairness to consumers.
“Twickets remains the only site enabling fans to buy and sell tickets for any event at face value, without the eye-watering mark ups that have left so many consumers dejected and distraught.”
This story will be updated with more reactions as we receive them.
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