Big news in the world of live music – Ticketmaster have announced they’re to close down secondary ticketing sites Get Me In and Seatwave.
In a statement posted on the ticket seller’s website, they explain: “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.
“All we want is you, the fan, to be able to safely buy tickets to the events you love.”
Ticketmaster goes on to reveal they’re planning on launching “a fan-to-fan ticket exchange”, which will allow fans to buy or sell tickets that they’ve nought through their website or app at the price originally paid or less.
The new service will be rolled out in the UK and Ireland this October, with the rest of Europe to follow early in 2019. No new events will be listed on get me In! or Seatwave from today onwards.
The move is a significant development in the world of secondary ticketing, which has come under increasing scrutiny as in demand events see tickets listed for astronomical sums. With services like Twickets gaining praise for their attempts to allow fans to pass on unwanted tickets without huge mark ups, it looks like at least part of the live music industry has decided the wind is shifting and it’s better to get ahead of the curve.