THERE HAVE BEEN calls to fast-track legislation to ban ticket touting in Ireland after U2 Croke Park tickets sold out in under 10 minutes yesterday morning.
Once the gig sold out on the official Ticketmaster website, tickets began appearing on secondary sale sites such as Seatwave, Ticketmaster’s resale company.
The price tags on some of those tickets to the Joshua Tree tour are currently at anything up to €1,300.
Fans have taken to Twitter to vent their anger.
Fine Gael TD Noel Rock also told TheJournal.ie that he has been inundated with people contacting him in relation to the U2 tickets for resale.
During the summer, the backbencher drafted an Anti-Ticket Touting Bill. As it is a private member’s bill, it currently lies with the Oireachtas Bills Office, until such a time that it is selected.
“This will be one of the biggest concerts of the year and consumers are now being asked to pay a large figure, well over face value, to attend. It’s just not fair to true fans who couldn’t obtain a figure this morning,” the Dublin North West TD added.
“People are irritated. They are sold out by 9.05am, but then there is a link to buy them elsewhere, second-hand for five times the price. It’s really about a sense of fairness. I have been getting emails saying this sort of legislation should have been done a long time ago.”
Fans who were successful in getting U2 tickets this morning.Source: Rollingnews.ie
Rock said similar laws have been introduced in other countries, such as Belgium.
"Within days of enactment, Seatwave actually closed down. We can and should do it here."
Support among TDs is believed to be widespread, with deputies from other parties speaking out about the issue.
"Every TD I have spoken to about the bill support it," said Rock, who is confident the legislation would pass if selected to proceed.
The only way to speed up the process is if it gets adopted as a government bill. Rock said he planned to raise the issue with Taoiseach Enda Kenny yesterday.
However, Rock said he suspects there will be a 'serious backlash' from those in the industry who oppose the law.
"Ticketmaster came to the Oireachtas to meet with me in October to offer guidance on it," said Rock, who added that the firm is not keen on new laws being introduced.
When Ticketmaster was asked about their view of anti-ticket touting laws in Ireland, a company spokesperson said in a statement:
"U2’s The Joshua Tree tour has been exceptionally popular. With artists of this stature, demand often far outstrips the supply of tickets. Ticketmaster is committed to the overall ticket buying process to ensure artists get tickets into the hands of fans and never places tickets on secondary market sites."
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