Features
Two Sides Of Ticketing: A Q&A
There are two competing philosophies when it comes to ticket ownership. Some in the concert industry see a ticket as a license to attend an event – a license that does not necessarily grant the buyer the right to resell or give a ticket away. Others think that when you buy a ticket, you own it and should be free to do with it as you please.
The StubHub- and National Consumers League-backed Fan Freedom Project falls in line with the latter belief. The group promotes ideas such as “Ownership,” “TickJet Transfers,” “Transparency,” “Fair Access” and “Competition.”
Another organization, the Fans First Coalition, is backed by Ticketmaster. The coalition works to combat scalping and strives for “greater access to face-value tickets and enhanced protection against fraudulent business practices.”
While the groups have engaged in a state-by-state legislative battle in recent years, a clear winner has yet to emerge. Representatives from each organization recently made their cases to Pollstar, raising several issues that deserve a closer look.