The UK ticket touting industry is facing a significant threat as Labour proposes a 10% cap on the resale value of tickets. This move aims to protect consumers from exorbitant prices set by resellers. However, the industry is fighting back with a newly formed lobbying group, the Coalition for Ticket Fairness (CTF), which has been actively seeking ways to undermine these reforms.
The CTF was established in response to Labour's proposed reforms, which have sent shockwaves through the ticket resale market. The group has already raised over £73,000 to employ a lobbyist tasked with guiding parliamentary discussions to block the proposed changes. At a private dinner held at the Underglobe in London, touts and representatives from major ticket resale companies gathered to discuss strategies to combat Labour’s initiatives.
While the CTF claims it is “bringing the industry together to share insights,” undercover footage suggests a more aggressive agenda. Instead of merely advocating for fair practices, the group appears poised to launch a concerted lobbying blitz against Labour's proposals. This has raised concerns about the ethics of their operations, especially given the tactics some touts employ, including using fake identities, multiple credit cards, and even bots to acquire tickets at inflated prices.
The CTF's UK chair, Tony McGowen, has been vocal about his lucrative operations in the ticket resale market. He boasts of making “£500 a day” from ticket sales, underscoring the financial motivation behind lobbying efforts. He also indicated that the CTF's influence might secure him early access to pre-sale ticket releases for highly sought-after events such as Taylor Swift's UK tour.
In addition to McGowen, the CTF's fundraising dinner featured several high-profile figures from the ticketing world, including convicted touts like Maria Chenery-Woods, known as the "Ticket Queen." Chenery-Woods had previously served time for her involvement in a £6.5 million ticketing scam. The presence of such figures at the dinner points to a troubling intersection between lobbying efforts and criminal activity within the industry.
Despite claims that the CTF seeks to advocate for fair representation within the industry, many critics argue that its actions exploit fans for profit. As ticket touting practices evolve, some resellers have been known to sell tickets for events where resale is explicitly banned. This practice has led to fans being denied entry to events they believed they had legitimate access to.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and National Trading Standards have recently intervened in the ticketing industry amid concerns about consumer protection. However, the CTF argues that this intervention stems from a lack of industry representation in parliament, suggesting that lawmakers are making decisions without fully understanding the complexities of the ticket resale market.
The CTF's efforts come at a time when public sentiment is increasingly against ticket touts. Many consumers are frustrated by inflated prices and lack of access to tickets for popular events. As Labour pushes forward with its proposals, touts face mounting pressure from both consumers and regulators.
Industry insiders have expressed mixed feelings about the future of ticket touting under Labour's proposed reforms. A grizzled old football tout reflected on his experiences, stating, “It was going up by £500 a day,” highlighting the unsustainable nature of current practices if reforms take effect.
Scot Tobias, another participant at the CTF dinner, addressed his peers directly: “You’ve sold concert tickets, you’ve sold sports tickets, you’ve sold football tickets, you’ve sold theatre tickets … You’ve made money or you wouldn’t be in this room.” His comments emphasized the shared understanding among attendees that profitability often comes at the expense of consumers.
As these developments unfold, the battle between consumer protection advocates and ticket touts will likely intensify. The outcome of Labour's proposals could reshape the landscape of ticket reselling in the UK dramatically.