The Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) has today announced that Viagogo’s acquisition of StubHub will be referred for an in depth investigation. This on the basis that the deal might constitute a relevant “merger situation” and result in a substantial lessening of competition within the UK market. https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/viagogo-stubhub-merger-inquiry#reference-decision FanFair Alliance has welcomed the announcement and issued […]
Today, the UK’s Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) have provided an update on Viagogo’s controversial merger with StubHub – highlighting continued competition concerns with the $4.05bn acquisition, and paving way for an extensive “Phase 2” investigation. More detail here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/merger-of-viagogo-and-stubhub-raises-competition-concerns FanFair Alliance has led calls for the merger – recently described by Forbes as “the […]
In a landmark case for National Trading Standards, online ticket touts Peter Hunter and David Smith (aka BZZ) were jailed today for 4 years and 30 months respectively. Following a long-running trial, the pair had been found guilty on February 13th 2020 of fraudulently and dishonestly buying and reselling tickets for high-profile music and entertainment events. […]
This morning, following a series of concerns raised by FanFair Alliance and others, the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) have demanded that controversial secondary ticketing platform StubHub make a number of urgent changes to its UK website – or face court action. CMA states that StubHub has been: – failing to adequately warn people that […]
On November 25th, the highly controversial “secondary ticketing” platform Viagogo announced it will – subject to regulatory approval – acquire its competitor site StubHub in a $4bn deal with eBay. Viagogo has a long history of misleading and unlawful practices in the UK and around the world. In November 2018, the site was served a court order by […]
The Music Managers Forum (MMF) and Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) have announced that Sam Fender and his manager Owain Davies (od management) will receive the FanFair Alliance Award for Outstanding Contribution to Live Music at the 2019 Artist & Manager Awards (A&MAs). Forging his career in grassroots venues across the UK, Sam Fender has developed into one of the country’s most exciting and engaging live performers. Following […]
FanFair Alliance, the music industry campaign established in July 2016 to tackle “industrial-scale online ticket touting”, has today published new guidance to help artists and managers tackle exploitative secondary ticketing. Backed by the Music Managers Forum (MMF), the guidance can be downloaded here, and advocates that artists, event organisers and venues make two clear and […]
This afternoon, Google have announced a global suspension of Viagogo‘s advertising account – with immediate effect. More details here at BBC.co.uk. FanFair Alliance have campaigned extensively on the issue of misleading search advertising by secondary ticketing sites, particularly Viagogo – publishing detailed research, appealing to the Advertising Standards Authority, engaging constructively with Google, and raising the impact of these […]
This morning, the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) have announced they are moving forward with legal proceedings for contempt of court against notorious secondary ticketing site Viagogo, following concerns it has failed to comply fully with a court order served in November 2018. Despite making a number of changes to its website, the CMA has stated that […]
This morning, the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee has published a new report, calling for action to safeguard the future of the UK’s live music industry. The report places particular emphasis on the practices of viagogo, and MPs have issued the public a “stark warning” to avoid the notorious secondary ticketing website. Viagogo is currently facing a legal action […]