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 […]
News and Press
Stay up-to-date with the FanFair Alliance Campaign
CMA to take further legal action against Viagogo – FanFair Alliance reaction
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 […]
DCMS Committee urges public “not to buy or sell tickets” through viagogo – FanFair Alliance reaction
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 […]
“All UK music fans should avoid this site”: CMA prepares legal action against viagogo
This afternoon, the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) has publicly warned secondary ticketing site viagogo that it is still not compliant with terms of a court order served in November 2018. As a result, the CMA is preparing a legal action to ask a court to find viagogo in contempt. Full details can be found […]
Viagogo fails to ‘overhaul’ its business – FanFair Alliance reaction
As of this morning, secondary ticketing website viagogo was required to implement substantial changes to its business practices following a court order served in November 2018. This follows an important and ongoing investigation into the secondary ticketing market by the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA). The legally-binding document demanded that viagogo “overhaul” the way it does business and comply with a wide range of […]
2018: FanFair Alliance end-of-year round-up
The FanFair Alliance campaign was established in July 2016 to fight back against “industrial-scale online ticket touting” – and over the past 12 months we’ve seen monumental changes to the UK’s “secondary ticketing” landscape. A concerted effort from Government, from the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA), National Trading Standards (NTS), and the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has […]
CMA publish Viagogo’s court order in full – requirements include a review of unpaid claims from users
Today, the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) have published in full Viagogo’s court order. It is a substantial document. Viagogo must comply with the contents by 17th January 2019. Non-compliance might result in fines, seizure of assets – or for Viagogo’s directors to be imprisoned. It is certainly not an “agreement”, as Viagogo suggested in […]
CMA secures court action against Viagogo – FanFair Alliance reaction
FanFair Alliance, the music industry campaign against industrial-scale online ticket touting, has today responded to news that the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) has secured a court order against ticket resale website viagogo.co.uk, which compels it to overhaul its business practices. Full details can be founded here. According to the CMA, the order must be complied with by mid-January […]
ADVERTISING STANDARDS AUTHORITY (ASA) BACKS VIAGOGO OVER TICKET BUYERS
Today, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has rejected a long-running complaint by FanFair Alliance that Google adverts employed by the secondary ticketing website Viagogo could mislead consumers. The decision reverses a draft ruling sent to FanFair in June 2018, and can be seen here. We have submitted an appeal to the ASA’s Independent Reviewer, urging that […]
APPG on Ticket Abuse, FanFair Alliance & STAR publish letter to Google demanding action on Viagogo search advertising
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Ticket Abuse, FanFair Alliance and Society of Ticket Agents & Retailers (STAR) have published a joint letter sent to Google last week, demanding action to stop Viagogo‘s misleading search advertising. The letter has received extensive backing from music, theatre and sports organisations, and is counter-signed by politicians from all main political […]