So I am reading the usual sources today and I come across this article at News.com. It’s about a group in the U.K. that wants to share in concert ticket re-sale revenue. Basically, they want a cut from the broker/secondary/scalper market…. Good luck :-)!
This is a market, while despised and not giving back to the artist/group/promoter, they really aren’t doing anything that is illegal. And when they change the law, they find a way to work within it to still achieve their end results.
Both sides do make valid arguments however, and I find myself in agreement with both…. The Harry Potter book example I can identify with, but then again, tickets aren’t a right, it’s the rental of that seat space. Not to mention that there is often fine-print “legalese” that puts limits on what can be done with the ticket: Not for re-sale unless through an authorized agent, Not for promotional use, Not responsible for injury or harm, etc…..
So what are these promoter/venue people thinking? They’ll just walk up and ask nice for a piece of the profit and the secondary market will gladly hand it over…? If you really want to change the way the ticketing business works and to bring profits back in-line for those that are out there taking the risks (artists/groups/promoters/venues), it’s not about how they can grab money from others, it’s about how the business models can change.
In the world of ticketing, there is a way to make it a much larger profit center for the risk takers mentioned. They will have to have some faith and take a bit of risk too, on a new company, but it’s nothing that hasn’t been done before and in return for that, they will have a much higher income stream from ticketing….
Now I just have to find someone to fund my ticketing company idea so that we can provide the service that will help all of these promoters/venues…. 🙂