Dispatches- The Great Ticket Scandal, C4 Thursday 9pm

[edfirth]

I've bought through Viagogo. Last year, I spotted that Big Chill tickets were going for much less than face value. (79.00) With the fees on the end, they were more like 100.00, so still 60-70 quid cheaper than buying them straight from Ticketline. I wasn't going to argue with that!

Thing is, they were offering something like 8 tickets for sale. Who overbuys 8 tickets, seriously? I always assumed that it was an individual tout, who had bought up loads, found that they hadn't sold well, and was trying to offload them. Thinking about it now, the Big Chill hasn't been an immediate sell out event for as long as I can remember. Why would any external tout worth his salt think that it would be a good idea to spend over a grand on Big Chill tickets?

There were only like twelve people at the Big Chill this year, could ticket websites have been sending them to Viagogo direct to try and shift some of the things?

[edfirth]

http://www.efestival...2/120223c.shtml

[kev1664]

I wonder if he had have known about the impending dispatches program, if he would have answered the same...

[kev1664]

There we go they've said it, promoters are giving the tickets to viagogo to sell on. Disgraceful bet that's what R&L do now.

[mrtourette]

It would certainly explain the sudden 'sell-out' and people being told to go to viagogo if they wanted tickets even though first-hand tickets were available in certain places.

[stylishkids]

90% straight to the promoters!

Can't believe they got 1000 for each Coldplay date as well for their stadium tour. Disgusting that SJM and Viagogo are making a shedload from this.

Edited February 23, 2012 by stylishkids

[mrtourette]

4500 tickets for V festival!

[bennyk]

Fuck you Viagogo. Scamming twats. Hope they get shit for this. Scuse my french. Rant over

[kev1664]

I guess viagogo are getting the bilking and handling charges even if they sell below face value, as long as they get thier cut they are not bothered. Promoters getting 90% though that's disgraceful from that Coldplay ticket near the back they got £2000 out of it. Now a tout is a tout but at least a street tout would never sell at those sort of inflated prices.

Since viagogo get an allocation they won't even be bothered if they don't sell.

[The Mean Bean]

How do we think this will affect Viagogo?

[brettredmayne]

Surely Reading and Leeds must dump Viagogo as an official reseller after this just to save face

[muffinman]

fucking disgraceful ( sorry for the language)

[bennyk]

9,000 tickets for this years Coldplay tour. Man that's outrageous. Oh I hope Viagogo are pooing their pants and get severely punished for this. Melvin HAS to end his contract with them. Shocking.

Edited February 23, 2012 by bennyk

[brettredmayne]

You get the normal rubbish that its supply and demand.

Its a straight forward con to me and only glastonbury and a few other concerts have had the balls to stop it

[mrtourette]

I wonder what will happen to the two team leaders that are giving up all of the information. Surely they had to give permission for footage of them to be used?

[Vacant0]

Surely Reading and Leeds must dump Viagogo as an official reseller after this just to save face

[JBarbour]

If fr dont drop viagogo as an officially reseller they are a fucking disgrace. But then again live nation is as bad allocating them tickets

[bennyk]

1/4 of sales on Viagogo is from fans themselves. Shocking

[morland]

Like we didnt know viagogo/seatwave/get me in are rip off ticket touting scum before the program

[brettredmayne]

Shows why live nation are so happy with them, face value and 90% of the extra money.

[mrtourette]

Like we didnt know viagogo/seatwave/get me in are rip off ticket touting scum before the program

[TYLER_4]

im actually shocked at this tbh. maybe naive to begin with but i didnt realise how corrupt viagogo was.

[morland]

Hopefully after tonight that will no longer be the case. Might make getting a ticket easier on the 12th

[kev1664]

There is only one way round it and it's the way that Glastonbury do it. Have people register for the event and have details of that person on the ticket when scanning people into the gig.

[The Mean Bean]

True, but the fact that promoters are in on it takes it to another level.

Edited February 23, 2012 by The Mean Bean