O2 secondary ticketing research

17 October 2024 - Press release

‘ALMOST TWO IN THREE MUSIC FANS BUYING SECONDHAND CONCERT TICKETS DON’T REALISE THEY’RE BUYING FROM ANOTHER PERSON’ – NEW RESEARCH FROM O2 HIGHLIGHTS CONFUSION IN THE TICKET RESALE MARKET

 

• The majority of music fans (62%) buying a ticket from a resale platform don’t realise they are buying it from another person, according to new online research by O2 and the YouGov analysis institute
• An even higher number of fans (64%) don’t realise the price they are paying is set by the individual reselling the ticket
• Only 5% of music fans would buy a second-hand ticket from outside of a venue, yet millions are doing so via online resale platforms – highlighting a major consumer awareness problem in the secondary ticketing industry
• The new insights follow data previously shared by O2 which shows that ticket touts are profiting from music fans to the tune of an extra £145m per year¹
• O2 - which sells over a million tickets per year through its Priority Tickets platform - says “Ticket touts are taking advantage of customer confusion and making millions of pounds out of music fans online – it’s time for better protection and information for all.”
• A longtime supporter of FanFair Alliance, the UK campaign against industrial-scale online ticket touting, O2 is calling upon resale websites to take responsibility for clearing up confusion amongst consumers

  

O2 - which sold 1.4 million tickets via its Priority Tickets platform in 2023 - has shared new data which reveals that most music fans (62%) buying tickets from a resale platform do not realise that they are buying the ticket from another person. Furthermore, an even larger number (64%) are unaware that the price they are paying is set by the individual reselling the ticket. With only 5% of fans saying they’d purchase a second-hand ticket from a tout outside of a venue - yet many more doing so via online platforms - the online research further highlights consumer confusion in the ticket resale market, which is costing music fans an additional £145m per year according to previously released research from O2 and YouGov.

“Our research makes it very clear – professional ticket touts, who are making millions of pounds out of fans, are taking advantage of consumer confusion online,” commented Gareth Griffiths, Director, Partnerships and Sponsorship at Virgin Media O2. “It’s time for better protection and information for concertgoers everywhere. Whilst there are some resale platforms that exist to help fans and cap secondary profits, there are others who seek only to make as much money as possible out of genuine fans. We need a fairer market which prohibits predatory touting behaviour and protects fans and artists.”

To discuss the research findings, this morning (16 October) O2 held a panel discussion featuring Gareth Griffiths alongside Adam Webb (Campaign Manager, FanFair Alliance) and Sharon Hodgson (MP for Washington & Gateshead South & Chair of the APPG for Ticket Abuse). The discussion examined the pain points for music fans in the ticketing sector, and the best ways forward for a fairer ticketing market for all.

 

O2 believes three things are needed to combat confusion in the market and is calling for:

• Better legislation against the sale of concert tickets for significant profits. With 63% of music fans who have attended live music events believing there should be rules in place around ticket resale according to its research, O2 fully supports government plans to bring in new laws to protect fans.
• Clearer information during the sale process on ticket resale platforms, such as a pop-up notification which fully explains who the ticket is being bought from and the potential risks involved.
• Clearer identification of ticket resale platforms on search engines. Resale websites can currently buy their way to the top of search results, without having to mention their tickets are second-hand.

 

Adam Webb, Campaign Manager, FanFair Alliance, commented: “O2’s findings demonstrate that ticket buyers continue to face real confusion when navigating this highly controversial market. As a result, many fall foul of exploitative online ticket touts. However, there is a way forward. Other countries have benefitted from legislation that either outlaws ticket resale for profit or heavily caps resale prices - while ensuring customers can easily access consumer-friendly resale services. That’s precisely what we need in the UK, providing improved transparency and protection while placing fans back at the heart of live events.”