In January, Hot Press launched the nationwide HOTPRESS Out A Tout campaign, which aims to help stamp out this scandalous behaviour…

The latest wave of touting controversy was sparked when tickets for The Arcade Fire’s Olympia Theatre shows sold out within 10 minutes, and then showed up on ebay 10 minutes later for €250. 48 hours later that figure had risen to €350!

Following a series of calls from Hot Press, Ticketmaster – in what marks a new phase in the anti-touting battle – have now cancelled a number of tickets that were being offered for sale on eBay, and which were traced to an identifiable individual.

According to Hot Press deputy editor Stuart Clark: “It’s the real fans who are suffering when tickets are soaked up by those who have no intention of going to the show themselves and are only interested in making a quick profit. There’s a real need for legislation to stamp out touting for good.”

In a statement issued to Hot Press, concert promoter MCD urges the Government to act on closing down online touts and point an accusing finger at “media outlets who carry advertisements on behalf of ticket touts.” In addition, MCD are actively imposing a lifetime ban on all touts purchasing tickets for their events.

Also lashing out at touts is Aiken Promotions’ Peter Aiken who proffers: “…these professional American-style ‘brokers’ could be shut down overnight. The same goes for the guys you see selling tickets outside venues, ours included.”

The problem isn’t confined to music, with the Irish Rugby Football Union last week expelling a club member who attempted to sell two tickets for the Ireland v France game at Croke Park on eBay for €1,000. Needaticket.net are offering tickets for the same fixture for between €220 (Terrace) and €700 (Premium).

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Click Here for Outed Tout No. 1 - NeedATicket.Net

Click Here for Outed Tout No. 2 - eBay

Click Here for Outed Tout No. 3 - Ticketland

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HOTPRESS is encouraging the real fans of music and sport to let us know who is ripping you off! Contact us on outatout@hotpress.ie or call (01) 241 1500 to tip us off. The fans must stand up and play their part in the Out A Tout campaign. The time for complaining is over. The time for action is now.

The Hot Press Newsdesk