SAM FENDER & MANAGER OWAIN DAVIES TO RECEIVE FANFAIR ALLIANCE AWARD

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 launches new guidance to help artists and managers tackle exploitative secondary ticketing

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 […]

Google suspends Viagogo’s advertising

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]