Ticketmaster to close ticket re-sale website Seatwave
By Mark Keane
A local TD has welcomed news that Ticketmaster is to close ticket re-sale website Seatwave.
According to Ticketmaster, Seatwave will be replaced with a fan-to-fan ticket exchange where people can buy or sell tickets at the original price, or less, through its website.
The change will be implemented on the Ticketmaster website in October, with no new events being listed on the Seatwave website from today.
On a blog post, Ticketmaster said: "That's right, we've listened and we hear you: secondary sites just don't cut it anymore and you're tired of seeing others snap up tickets just to resell for a profit".
Dublin South West TD, Seán Crowe, said he believes that promised legislation on the issue of ticket touting “spooked” Ticketmaster and contributed to the closure of Seatwave.
The proposed legislation would make it illegal to resell tickets above face value for events in venues that hold more than 1,000 people.
Deputy Crowe said that the “abuse of ticket reselling is reflecting badly on the industry” and that he is “glad to see some elements of the ticketing industry moving in the right direction”.
“Seatwave was a source of great annoyance and frustration for so many people across the country, with many rightly questioning how their tickets could sell out within minutes on one site, and then re-appear on another almost immediately, usually at vastly inflated prices,” Deputy Crowe said.
Always been part of Ticketmaster’s long-term plan
Keith English, Managing Director of Ticketmaster Ireland, said: “Closing Seatwave and creating a new ticket exchange has always been part of Ticketmaster’s long-term plan.
“It’s not just in Ireland, it is happening across Europe.
“Our number one priority is to get tickets into the hands of fans so that they can go to the events they love.
“We are aware that fans are tired of seeing others snap up tickets just to resell for a profit on secondary websites, so we have decided to take action.
“And now we are delighted to launch our redesigned website which will make buying and selling tickets fast and simple, with all tickets in the same place.”
TAGS news
