Unauthorized Vendor Selling Over 300 Lewis Capaldi Tickets on StubHub Arouses Suspicion in U.K.
In the world of live entertainment, the secondary ticket market has become a subject of intense scrutiny, with the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launching an investigation into StubHub International over the initial on-sale of the Lewis Capaldi tour tickets[1][3].
The controversy erupted when more than 300 tickets for Capaldi's opening night at Sheffield Arena were listed on StubHub at inflated prices—up to three times their face value[1]. This situation has raised serious concerns, with experts describing the listings as potentially "industrial-scale criminality"[1].
Despite StubHub's claims of enforcing strict consumer protection policies, the investigation is examining whether the company's policies and enforcement comply with legal standards designed to curb profiteering from ticket resale[1]. It's important to note that this is not the first time such issues have been raised. Last year, the ticket on-sale for the Oasis reunion ended in tears for many hopeful fans, with resellers suspected of engaging overseas buyers to secure large volumes of tickets for heavily in-demand events[2].
The UK has measures aimed at preventing exploitative ticket resales, but these vary by platform. For instance, Ticketmaster caps resale prices at face value to protect consumers since 2018[1], while StubHub, it seems, has not been as effective in this regard.
The investigation by the CMA is a reflection of broader concerns over fairness and consumer protection in secondary ticket markets. In response to these issues, ministers in the UK are currently considering a ban on for-profit ticket resales[1]. The Labour party's 2024 manifesto states that they will put fans back at the heart of events by introducing new consumer protections on ticket resales[1].
This investigation underscores the need for stricter regulations in the secondary ticket market. As Reg Walker, a ticketing and security expert, put it, "It's not just about the money, it's about the principle"[1]. The principle of fairness and ensuring that fans have a fair chance to access tickets at a reasonable price is what's at stake here.
[1] The Guardian. (2023). StubHub under investigation over Lewis Capaldi tour ticket resales. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/jan/10/stubhub-under-investigation-over-lewis-capaldi-tour-ticket-resales
[2] BBC News. (2022). Oasis tickets: Fan anger as more than 50,000 go on resale sites. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-61398301
- The investigation into StubHub International's initial ticket sales for the Lewis Capaldi tour highlights the growing concern over inflated prices in the music industry's secondary ticket market, often referred to as potential "industrial-scale criminality."
- Though platforms like Ticketmaster have implemented policies to cap resale prices at face value to protect consumers, other platforms such as StubHub continue to face criticism for insufficient measures in curbing profiteering from ticket resales in the general-news sector, particularly in crime-and-justice and sports events.
