The UK live music industry has come out strongly in favour of a price cap on resale tickets as the government’s consultation into the secondary market draws to a close.

But ahead of Friday’s deadline (4 April) IQ understands there is no consensus on the acceptable level of resale uplift the UK business will recommend. The government previously indicated it would be looking to cap resale at 10% above face value, but sought views on levels ranging from no uplift at all to 30%.

The long-anticipated consultation was initiated back in January, with the government vowing to “tackle greedy touts and give power back to fans”. Interested parties including fans, ticketing platforms and the wider live events sector were invited to submit responses.

Jonathan Brown, CEO of the Society of Ticket Retailers (STAR), says the organisation supports a “consumer-first approach” to resale.

“We back a capped resale model that already operates effectively in the UK, enabling genuine fans to resell tickets they can’t use, while preventing the kind of speculative profiteering that distorts the market,” he says. “A mandated price cap will help remove the incentive for touts to purchase tickets at scale for resale and therefore reduce bot attacks, protect consumers, and ensure fairer access to events.

“However, any new legislation needs to be backed with agile, responsive and effective enforcement, including against offshore resellers and platforms seeking to ignore UK law.”

“Ticketmaster welcomes any action to protect fans and support the live industry”

Speaking to IQ, Ticketmaster UK MD Andrew Parsons says the company is committed to making ticketing “simple and transparent”.

“Since 2018, our resale service has been capped at the original price paid, providing fans a safe place to sell tickets they can’t use right up to the event date,” he says. “This ensures as many people as possible can go and, as we all know, packed venues benefit not just performers, and the venues themselves, but also the local economy.

“We support proposals to introduce an industry-wide resale price cap, backed by a strong regulatory regime and enforcement. Ticketmaster welcomes any action to protect fans and support the live industry.”

AXS UK MD Chris Lipscomb stresses that the firm “supports any effort that helps get tickets into the hands of real fans at fair prices”. “To that end, we limit resale in the UK to 10% above price paid,” he notes.

Richard Davies, founder of ethical resale business Twickets, says the company “strongly supports” a cap on resale ticket prices.

“We’ve consistently upheld a strict policy of reselling tickets only at face value plus original booking fee to counteract exploitative practices prevalent in the secondary market,” says Davies. “We see no validity in allowing any mark up on the original price paid by the customer.

“The new legal obligations placed on resale platforms will mean a step toward protecting genuine fans and fostering fairness within the ticketing ecosystem. While inflated resale prices are undeniably problematic, the excessive booking fees charged by secondary platforms compound the issue further.”

“As ever, there are details to be hammered out, but we are right behind the broad thrust”

Jon Collins, CEO of UK trade body LIVE, points out that research carried out for the group by market research agency Opinium showed that just 12% of the 2,000 members of public surveyed opposed the idea of a cap.

“LIVE fully supports government action in this space to remove touts from our sector, end ticket harvesting and see tickets in the hands of genuine fans,” he says. “As ever, there are details to be hammered out, but we are right behind the broad thrust. We are pleased to see government delivering on its manifesto commitment in this area, bringing forward measures which permit responsible and fair fan-to-fan resale, while eliminating third-party profiteering.”

O2, which sells over 1.5 million tickets per year to its customers via Priority Tickets, has been vocal in calling for a 10% price cap on resale. The firm’s Fight for Fairer Ticketing campaign partnered with Bastille singer Dan Smith last week to launch Stamp It Tout – an online hub designed to help fans navigate the ticket resale market safely.

UK watchdog the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) added its backing to a price cap last month. It stopped short of recommending a specific limit, warning of “unintended consequences, such as creating a point of price coordination for sellers”. However, it noted that proceeding with a “no uplift” option on resale would be consistent with existing legislation in Ireland and New South Wales, Australia.

According to CMA analysis, typical mark-ups on tickets sold on the secondary market are often more than 50 per cent and investigations by Trading Standards have uncovered evidence of tickets being resold for up to six times their original cost.

“The resale price should be capped at the price paid – including booking fee – with a small fixed admin fee”

Face-value European Alliance for Ticketing (FEAT) director Sam Shemtob notes that talk of a UK price cap was mooted as far back as 2011 by Labour MP Sharon Hodgson, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Ticket Abuse.

“She’s kept ticket resale as an issue throughout the years of being in opposition, and it’s fantastic that the UK could be close to a historic change in the law in this respect,” says Shemtob. “Our position is in our name – that’s to say the resale price should be capped at the price paid – including booking fee – with a small fixed admin fee chargeable on top for the platform handling the transaction.”

Other plans being considered by the government include limiting the number of tickets resellers can list to the maximum they are allowed to purchase on the primary market.

In addition, there are proposals to increase the accountability of ticket resale websites and apps, creating new legal obligations so that they can be held responsible by Trading Standards and the Competition and Market Authority for the accuracy of information they provide to fans. The government also plans to review existing legislation to strengthen consumer protection, including stronger fines and a new licensing regime for resale platforms.

Adam Webb, campaign manager for anti-touting pressure group FanFair Alliance, says the solution should be “simple, palatable and effective”. He also warns of the need to close off “all potential loopholes, and ensure offshore ‘uncapped’ ticket touting websites cannot circumvent the rules”.

“Promisingly, it feels the Competition & Markets Authority are thinking along very similar lines here, and we remain optimistic this consultation will lead to some genuinely positive outcomes,” he finishes.

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In the newest compilation of movers and shakers, IQ highlights news from DEAG, Music Venue Trust (MVT), AXS, United Nations, Power of Music consortium, Proactiv Asia and Live Music Now Scotland.

Berlin-based live entertainment giant DEAG has announced the return of Lutz Grotehöfer as executive vice president of operations.

In his new role, he will work closely with Detlef Kornett (chairman of the DEAG executive board, group CEO/international business affairs) and Christian Diekmann (member of the DEAG executive board, CEO national/COO).

In addition to operational and structural issues of the company, Grotehöfer will address strategic issues in the face of a dynamically changing and growing DEAG and live entertainment industry.

Grotehöfer was an executive board member for DEAG between 2014–2017.

AEG-owned ticketing company AXS has made three hires in Europe and Asia

Elsewhere, Music Venue Trust (MVT), the UK charity for grassroots music venues (GMVs), has announced six new patrons.

Joining MVT’s existing list of patrons are acclaimed musician Kate Nash, MP for Brighton Pavilion Sian Berry, CAA agent Summer Marshall, Scottish Music Industry Association’s Robert Kilpatrick, FOCUS Wales co-founder Neal Thompson, Co-founder, and artist and independent label manager Colin Newman.

These new patrons join musicians including Sir Paul McCartney, Nova Twins, Frank Turner and Tim Burgess, broadcasters who include Steve Lamacq MBE and Gemma Bradley, and patrons from industry and politics including Sony Music’s Jason Iley, John Whittingdale MP and Kerry McCarthy MP.

AEG-owned ticketing company AXS, meanwhile, has made three hires in Europe and Asia.

Motoki Ishikawa has been named managing director of AXS Japan, which was established in 2019.

Michael Kill has been appointed as United Nations Representative

Ishikawa joins from Dentsu, Japan’s largest integrated communications conglomerate, where he held senior management roles as CEO Dentsu Sports America, GM Rugby World Cup 2019 (VIP Hospitality and Venue Production), GM Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games 2020 (Sports Presentation).

In the UK, the ticketing firm’s new appointments include Nick Griffith, director of business development, and Sam Ricketts, head of business development and artist services.

Michael Kill, VP of the International Nightlife Association (INA) and CEO of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) UK, has been appointed as United Nations Representative on behalf of the INA as it gains Consultative Status through the UN’s Economic And Social Council.

With this status, the INA will have the opportunity to participate in UN events and debates, present written statements, collaborate with other NGOs and UN agencies, and contribute to discussions on critical topics such as economic development, social inclusion, cultural impact, and responsible entertainment.

Meanwhile, Nordoff and Robbins Music Therapy CEO Sandra Schembri has been appointed as the new Power of Music Consortium Chair. She replaces UK Music chief executive Tom Kiehl in the role after UK Music chaired the Consortium since its inception in 2022.

Judith Anderson has been appointed CEO of Live Music Now Scotland

Elsewhere, Blake Tatroe has been named head of Asia at Proactiv Entertainment, a producer and promoter of large-scale shows, international exhibitions and music concerts.

Tatroe has held a number of senior roles across Asia Pacific live entertainment, most recently serving as international director at Michael Cassel Group in Singapore.

Between 2019-21 Tatroe was senior director, live event marketing at the ONE Championship, following an 11-year stint at Feld Entertainment, where he ascended to become managing tour director.

Finally, Judith Anderson has been appointed CEO of Live Music Now Scotland, succeeding Carol Main, who has led the organisation since it was founded in 1984.

Anderson joins the charity – which works in schools, hospitals, care homes and hospices supporting emerging artists – from the Scottish arts and early years organisation, Starcatchers, where she was head of development and operations.

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With on-sales for hot shows regularly making headlines, sometimes for the wrong reasons, a debate has ignited among experts as to whether the live business should switch from online queues to ballots for the most in-demand concerts.

Glastonbury unveiled a revamped online queuing system for yesterday’s (17 November) general sale, whereby fans were “randomly” assigned a place in the queue at the start of the sale, rather than having to refresh the page like in previous years. While the system was a novelty for Glastonbury, it has been the standard path for most high-demand shows for a number of years.

Speaking to presenter and DJ Annie Mac ahead of this summer’s festival, Glastonbury organiser Emily Eavis explained why the event had decided against distributing tickets via a ballot.

“I think if we did a ballot, we’d end up with some people who weren’t necessarily as bothered about coming,” she claimed.

Elsewhere, however, Oasis held a special invitation-only ballot for their two additional shows at Wembley Stadium next September, limited to fans who had been unsuccessful in the initial on sale for their 2025 reunion tour despite queuing for hours.

And Sam Fender made tickets for his upcoming hometown show at Newcastle’s 11,000-cap Utilita Arena available by ballot to customers with North-East postcodes only.

“I use the analogy that if you entered the lottery and you didn’t win, you wouldn’t complain to the National Lottery that you didn’t win”

Steve Tilley of Kilimanjaro Live, promoter of the 20 December concert, explains the thinking behind the method.

‘’It’s an attempt to try and manage the demand and introduce some kind of element of randomness/luck into the equation when you’re very very confident that there’s no way the supply is going to be able to meet expected demand,” he tells IQ. “I use the analogy that if you entered the lottery and you didn’t win, you wouldn’t complain to the National Lottery that you didn’t win. And we don’t even charge you for entering our lottery unless you get the chance to buy a ticket.”

Sam Ricketts, head of business development & artist services at AXS, says that ballots have become an “increasingly popular solution for measuring demand and getting tickets into the hands of real fans”, while Gigantic Tickets co-CEO Simon Carpenter deems them “the fairest way to go” when demand for a show is sky-high.

“The Sam Fender show in Newcastle at the arena is a perfect example, where you’ve got hundreds of thousands of people wanting to go to a show with a 10,000 capacity,” notes Carpenter.

Ed Sheeran agent Jon Ollier of One Fiinix Live points out that ballots are commonplace in certain parts of the world, such as Japan.

“Anything that we can do to try and reimagine and make the ticket purchasing process more fair [is for] the better,” he adds.

“They are probably not the right solution for most on sales. But for the ones that are going to see high demand, they are absolutely the way to go”

Ticketing executive and former STAR Council member Richard Howle advises that ballots aren’t right for every on sale, however.

“In fact, they are probably not the right solution for most on sales,” he asserts. “But for the big ones – the ones that are going to see high demand – they are absolutely the way to go.”

Howle believes there are numerous benefits from an industry perspective, particularly around data and pricing, in addition to gauging demand.

“During a typical on sale we only manage to collect data from those who successfully book a ticket,” he suggests. “By running a ballot we have the opportunity to collect data from everyone who is interested in buying a ticket. And I don’t just mean marketing data which relies on people opting in – huge amounts of insight can be gleaned about potential audiences.

“Balloting also provides an idea of demand in advance: London has the demand for four dates, Birmingham three, Manchester two, etc. This certainty of demand will make scheduling routing and deal-making so much clearer.”

He adds: “By running a ballot, by receiving information in advance about what audiences are prepared to pay, promoters can optimise their manifests to deliver the maximum returns as well as preserving any wishes that an artist may have about preserving a percentage of tickets at accessible prices.

“Whilst prices can be set in advance, the number of tickets available at each price band does not have to be decided until the balloting process is complete and customers have indicated which price they wish to pay. Tickets can be truly priced based on demand, without upsetting customers.”

“Ticketing systems are built to cope with high demand, but sometimes technology breaks and on sales can go horribly wrong”

Furthermore, Howle notes there are technological advantages, both in terms of handling demand and battling ticket touting.

“Yes, ticketing systems are built to cope with high demand, but sometimes technology breaks and on sales can go horribly wrong – disrupting both pricing and scheduling strategies,” he says. “The gentler pace of a ballot makes the whole process much smoother – for everyone. It is an unnecessary stress which everyone could do without.

“Perhaps one of the biggest pros of balloting is that it makes it very hard for touts and their bots. Multiple applications and known touts can be screened out during the balloting process. The touts will always find a way, but we can make it much harder for them.”

Telecoms giant O2 gives away tickets for its intimate, one-off Priority gig series for free to O2 and Virgin Media customers via a ballot. Acts have included Kylie Minogue, D-Block Europe, Raye and Sam Fender, while more than 100,000 ballot entries were submitted for Girls Aloud at O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire in July.

“We see huge demand for our Priority Gigs, which does mean disappointment for some customers who don’t win tickets, but the ballot process creates fair opportunity to win and allows us to open up these one-of-a-kind music experiences to as many people as possible,” says Gareth Griffiths, director, partnerships and sponsorship at Virgin Media O2.

According to Griffiths, one of the biggest pluses of ballots is the “greater ability” they provide to tailor the ticketing process to suit a particular show or artist.

“With D-Block Europe and Raye’s Priority Gigs, for example, giving their biggest fans the first chance to grab tickets was a really important element of the show,” he says. “O2 was able to do this by using our Priority Tickets data, to give those who had engaged with the artists’ shows before the first chance to enter. This allows us to ensure the room is filled with those who most want to be there, and to connect artists with their biggest fans.”

“The casual fan who might ordinarily try their luck for a ticket on a single screen has equal footing with a die-hard fan”

Matt Kaplan, head of UK/EU at price-capped resale marketplace Tixel also sees far more positives than negatives.

“What we like about ticket ballots is that they typically bring a more fan-centric approach to the challenges of selling tickets to high-demand events,” he tells IQ. “By collecting all prospective buyers into the same ‘pot’ you level the playing field and remove the intense pressure of having to have five laptops, two phones, an iPad, a hope and a prayer, competing for that coveted moment of being redirected to the purchase page.

“I guess one thing that could be seen as controversial is that the casual fan who might ordinarily try their luck for a ticket on a single screen has equal footing with a die-hard fan who might have assembled an army of friends and dozens of screens for more “chances” at a ticket. And is this a bad thing? Probably not.”

Although Howle considers the benefits of ballots to outweigh the negatives, he acknowledges the downside.

“It takes time to organise and manage, which is why it is not appropriate to do every on sale as a ballot,” he stresses. “Some promoters and artists like the fuss of an onsale, some like to say that they ‘broke the internet’ that they ‘sold out in xx minutes’. But what is a better indication of popularity: ‘20,000 ticket sold out in 10 minutes’ or ‘a million people have entered a ballot’?”

He continues: “One con, which is particularly relevant to the UK is that allocations are split across a number of different ticketing companies. This is an added complication which needs co-ordinating – but it shouldn’t be a barrier to balloting.

“The final con is that an on sale generates its own excitement, its own buzz which encourages others to join, to make that impulse buy. Perhaps if fans had more time to make a considered decision about whether they were going to attend or how much they wished to spend they wouldn’t pay as much? But counter to this, is that there will be much larger pool of people to access and with a ballot there is the opportunity to optimise the manifest to generate greater revenues.”

“As a promoter, 99 times out of 100 you’re more worried about selling out as quickly and easily as possible”

Nevertheless, if push came to shove, Kilimanjaro’s Tilley admits he would choose a normal on sale process over a ballot.

“As a promoter, 99 times out of 100 you’re more worried about selling out as quickly and easily as possible,” he says. “Promoting artists that require people to enter a ballot is a privilege indeed but that level of demand comes with a whole different set of problems for promoters and venues to try and solve.’’

He concludes: “When demand is so great that most people are going to be disappointed inevitably some fans take to social media to complain direct to artists and managers about something not being fair or potentially blaming a ticket agent tech issue – whether fair or not – and so on. If you introduce a ballot then luck becomes a factor and most people accept the rules at that point. Of course, there are still people on socials making their feelings known but I guess that’s the way of the world.”

Indeed, as the industry has learned time and time again – ballots or not – you’ll never be able to please everyone.

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AXS has announced the acquisition of Hamburg-based ticketing company white label eCommerce.

Founded in 2012 by renowned German music and sports ticketing executive Arndt Scheffler, the firm specialises in white-label ticketing that allows music, sports, and festival event operators to ticket events through a simple self-service “autonomous” platform that can be custom branded.

Following the acquisition, white label eCommerce will continue its business but as part of AXS Germany, based in Berlin and Hamburg.

Current white label customers including music festivals Wacken Open Air, Jazz Open Stuttgart, Ulmer Zelt), sporting events (including the handball series champion THW Kiel), live music shows, venues, and theatres (Die Fantastischen Vier, SIDO, 6K United) throughout Germany, will be serviced by the AXS Germany team.

“Their stellar reputation for client service, iconic list of clients, and forward-thinking technology aligns with our brand’

In October, AEG-owned AXS reached an agreement with AEG’s Uber Arena in Berlin and Barclays Arena in Hamburg to service premium ticketing at both venues.

“The entire team is thrilled to become a part of a respected global business like AXS and the broader AEG team,” says Scheffler. “We know that our clients, employees and ultimately the entire German market will all benefit from the world-class platform and operations. Now we are expanding our existing portfolio and becoming part of a highly competent and financially strong sports and entertainment group. We’re excited about what lies ahead.”

Blaine Legere, president, International, AXS, adds: “We’re honoured to welcome white label eCommerce to the AXS global team. Their stellar reputation for client service, iconic list of clients, and forward-thinking technology aligns with our brand. The white label team has a growing and diversified customer base, and is poised to play a meaningful role as we accelerate our business going forward.”

AXS’ growing global footprint includes venues, sports teams, festivals, and live events across UK, France, Germany, Sweden, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand such as B.League, Swedish Elite Football, Venues New South Wales, American Express Presents BST Hyde Park, All Points East, The O2, OVO Arena Wembley and Stockholm Live!

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AEG-owned ticketing firm AXS is the new ticketing partner for the AO Arena in Manchester, it has been announced.

AXS says the partnership will involve streamlining the ticket-buying process for the venue’s 1m+ customers each year and working to reduce fraud and inflated secondary ticketing by rolling out its AXS Mobile ID and AXS Official Resale platforms.

The ASM Global-operated arena has welcomed over 30 million guests and thousands of world-renowned artists since opening its doors in 1995.

In January 2024, the venue announced the completion of its £60 million redevelopment, as well as the extension of its naming rights partnership. As a result of the redevelopment, AO Arena’s capacity has increased to 23,000, reinforcing its place as one of Europe’s biggest indoor venues.

“AXS has a strong track record of delivering stand-out shows across the country”

Meanwhile, AXS has been rapidly expanding with new activity in both France and Germany. The firm’s presence in Europe also includes UK partners such as The O2, OVO Arena Wembley, Venues South Wales, BST Hyde Park and All Points East festivals. In Sweden, AXS is the exclusive ticketing provider for Stockholm Live! and Swedish Elite Football.

“We’re thrilled to welcome AXS as our new official ticketing partner,” says acting general manager of AO Arena, Gemma Vaughan.

“Both the AO Arena and AXS have a proven track record of providing guests with the very best live experiences, so this partnership makes perfect sense. By introducing the straightforward and seamless ticket experience that AXS is known for, fans now have access to a platform that is easy to use, highly intuitive and will make buying tickets a breeze. We can’t think of a better way to celebrate this new chapter for our venue and for fans in the North-West and beyond.”

Blaine Legere, president of international, AXS, says “We are proud to partner with the iconic AO Arena which has played a vital role in shaping the UK’s live scene and add another massive venue to our growing portfolio in the UK. AXS has a strong track record of delivering stand-out shows across the country, and by welcoming another ASM Global venue to AXS – our seventh this year – it means we can deliver the very best experiences to fans from all UK regions.”

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AEG-owned ticketing firm AXS has established its first office in France, in the capital city of Paris.

Lucile Genest, former head of ticketing at Accor Arena in Paris, has been appointed head of strategic operations for the office.

She will spearhead the company’s strategy, development, operations, account management and marketing throughout France.

Previous to AXS, Genest spent 25 years at the 20,300-capacity Accor Arena where she oversaw primary, secondary and VIP ticketing, revenue growth, the digital transformation of the arena and ticketing systems for the biggest international concerts and sports events.

When Accor’s owner, Paris Entertainment Company, acquired the Bataclan Theater and Adidas Arena, Genest added those two venues to her purview serving as head of ticketing for all three venues.

“Lucile is a veteran ticketing executive with an impeccable track record in live events”

“Lucile is a veteran ticketing executive with an impeccable track record in live events,” says Blaine Legere, president, International. “Her expertise and knowledge of the French live event market will be invaluable as we build our portfolio in the country.”

Genest adds: “My career in ticketing started while I was in college, working at the box office of Accor Arena. Over the years, ticketing has only grown more complex and I’ve had the privilege of being at the center of major transformation in my many venue ticketing roles. I am delighted to join AXS and lead their efforts in France to partner with the most iconic French events, concerts, teams and venues.”

News of AXS’s France office comes weeks after AXS announced its expansion into Germany via partnerships with two major arenas.

The firm’s presence in Europe also includes UK partners such as The O2, OVO Arena Wembley, Venues South Wales, BST Hyde Park and All Points East festivals. In Sweden, AXS is the exclusive ticketing provider for Stockholm Live! and Swedish Elite Football.

Elsewhere in the French ticketing market, CTS Eventim has been given the green light to acquire a further 17% of the share capital of France Billet.

CTS Eventim has been given the green light to acquire a further 17% of the share capital of France Billet

The European Commission says it has no antitrust or other objections to CTS exercising the call option to increase its stake in France Billet from 48% to 65%.

The remaining 35% is owned by Fnac Darty, France’s largest retailer of entertainment products, consumer electronics and household appliances.

CTS Eventim first took a stake in France Billet in November 2019, merging its own French ticketing activities into the partnership.

France Billet, along with subsidiaries Tick&Live and Eventim France, manages 36 million tickets in France through its ticketing technology and services activities.

The company was recently named the official supporter of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games ticketing services.

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AEG-owned ticketing firm AXS is expanding into Germany via partnerships with two major arenas.

The firm will service premium ticketing at Berlin’s Uber Arena and Hamburg’s Barclays Arena – both of which are owned by AEG.

In partnership with AEG Germany’s premium sales team, AXS’ suite management and access control platforms will replace legacy suite ticketing platforms in each arena.

Collectively, the venues host 400 events per year, for which AXS will handle premium and suite tickets.

In addition to Germany, AXS is operational in the UK, Sweden, Japan and Australia via venues, sports teams, festivals, and live events.

The venues collectively host 400 events per year, for which AXS will handle premium and suite tickets

The firm’s clients include B.League, Swedish Elite Football, Venues New South Wales, BST Hyde Park, All Points East, The O2, OVO Arena Wembley and Stockholm Live!.

“AXS has the privilege of working with the most iconic venues in the world,” says Blaine Legere, president, international, AXS.

“There is no better way to kick-start our business in Germany than by bringing our industry-leading suite management and access control platform to these two world-class venues.”

Jan Kienappel, COO & CFO of AEG Germany, adds: “We are excited to introduce AXS ticketing to our premium customers. The platform will improve our service and enhance our marketing capabilities in that segment, which sets us up to further grow our business.”

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AXS has announced a collaboration with Nimbus Disability, the social enterprise company run by disabled people for disabled people.

The introduction of the Access Registration Scheme – powered by the Access Card is set to first launch at The O2 and will then be accepted across all of AXS’ venues, events, and festival partners.

Guests buying accessible tickets online via AXS, The O2 and O2 Priority will be required to enter their Nimbus Access Card ID which details their specific accessibility requirements from wheelchair access to an essential companion.

The new system will give guests a “highly tailored” service offering ticket locations and other access facilities that most accurately meet their requirements, according to a release.

The O2’s Contact Centre will continue to accept calls from guests who have not yet signed up for the Nimbus Access Card scheme, or who need additional support to purchase the seats that best suit their requirements.

“At AXS we are always looking for ways to make the ticketing process even more effective and want it to be as tailored as possible to the needs of our customers,” says Chris Lipscomb, MD AXS UK.

“[This] will mean that guests who need accessible tickets can get their requirements met even more efficiently”

“In Nimbus, we have a company that will work with us to do just that for disabled people and we are very excited to see this new process launch at The O2.”

Sam Oldham, The O2 venue director, adds “Nimbus has an incredible track record and we are very proud to be working with such a trusted organisation. By bringing in the Nimbus & the Access Card Scheme, it will mean that guests who need accessible tickets can get their requirements met even more efficiently, ensuring their journey continues to be as smooth as possible.”

Guests yet to sign up for the Access Registration Scheme will be directed to do so by the AXS and The O2 websites for a registration process.

The award-winning Nimbus Access Card offers disabled people better access to entertainment venues whilst reducing the amount of administration needed to find the right accessible seats.

Martin Austin MBE, managing director of Nimbus and the creator of the Access Card said, “We’re thrilled to expand online booking options for our several hundred thousand Access Card holders. Moving to a self-serve online booking experience for disabled people is a game changer – to not have to sit in phone queues or wait for registration forms to be processed really opens up true equality of access for disabled customers. We’re also dedicated to making sure that those without an Access Card are able to utilise the same system at no cost by operating a free AXS Access Registration Scheme”

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AEG-owned ticketing firm AXS is taking over the ticketing operations previously handled by NEC Group’s internal ticketing arm, The Ticket Factory.

As part of the deal, AXS will now provide its ticketing services to NEC Group’s venues, the Resorts World Arena (cap. 15,685) and Utilita Arena Birmingham (15,800).

In addition, AXS will establish a ticketing hub in Birmingham adjacent to the NEC Campus, and all existing employee roles within The Ticket Factory at the NEC Group will become part of the firm.

“We want to make every customer’s experience brilliant, from the moment they think about buying a ticket, to the experience they have at our venues, and every interaction beyond,” says NEC Group CEO Mel Smith, who last year succeeded Paul Thandi.

“The AXS platform opens new and exciting opportunities for us to connect with customers and enhance their journey with us. We are delighted AXS has chosen to establish a centre of ticketing operations in Birmingham and look forward to a long-term partnership for the benefit of customers and the community.”

“The AXS platform opens new and exciting opportunities for us to connect with customers and enhance their journey with us”

Bryan Perez, CEO, AXS, adds: “We have long admired the NEC Group and The Ticket Factory and are therefore thrilled to welcome them into the AXS family. We share their vision for transforming the entire customer journey for fans at Resorts World Arena and Utilita Arena Birmingham and look forward to deploying our industry-leading AXS Mobile ID for fans and Apex platform for arenas to meet that goal. We are also excited to establish another base of operations in the West Midlands that will help grow and service our partners throughout the UK.”

AXS is the ticketing partner for more than 500 venues, sports teams and event organisers across North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. With offices in London and Manchester, the global ticketing firm’s clients include USGA, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Crypto.com Arena, Coachella, Stagecoach, Stockholm Live, The O2, and B. League (Japan).

In the past fortnight, AXS has acquired a majority stake in event tech firm WRSTBND and secured a partnership with TikTok on an in-app ticketing feature.

AXS’s parent company AEG was reportedly interested in acquiring Vivendi-owned See Tickets but the UK-headquartered ticketing company was snapped up by CTS Eventim earlier this month.

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AEG-owned ticketing firm AXS has acquired a majority stake in event tech firm WRSTBND, a provider of access control, credentialing and point-of-sale solutions for live events and venues.

AXS says the deal highlights its commitment to enhancing the onsite fan experience, “streamlining entry and exit procedures, making payments more frictionless”, as well as creating “personalised experiences for attendees”.

WRSTBND plans to utilise the investment to significantly grow its capabilities and offerings to clients by integrating AXS Mobile ID technology with WRSTBND’s ecosystem.

“WRSTBND has established itself as one of the rising stars within the live event access control and credential management business, solving some of the most high-profile and complicated problems for the Super Bowl, US Open, and the NFL Draft,” says AXS chief strategy officer Marc Ruxin. “Their hardware and software technology combined with the scale of AXS’ premier festivals and live event clients, including Coachella, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Fest and BST Hyde Park, will create the most seamless and cutting-edge access and payment solutions available anywhere.”

“Together, with the help of their resources and our technology, we will continue to push boundaries”

Conway Solomon, WRSTBND co-founder, and CEO, along with Jonathan Foucheaux, co-founder, and CTO, share their excitement about the partnership’s potential

“From the very beginning, the AXS team shared our vision for how WRSTBND could be integrated and utilised for festivals and events all across the world,” they say. “Together, with the help of their resources and our technology, we will continue to push boundaries to develop and implement unparalleled solutions for our clients and their patrons.”

Earlier this week, AXS also announced a partnership with TikTok on an in-app ticketing feature that enables Certified Artists on TikTok to promote their live dates to new and existing fans globally on the platform.

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