No cash for fans with tickets from touts

MUSIC lovers have been urged to buy concert tickets from authorised outlets after it emerged touts were benefiting from the cancellation of US Rapper Eminem’s Slane concert.

Ticketmaster urged people not to buy off ticket touts after it emerged many fans who bought from unauthorised places would not be able to get a refund.

A spokesperson urged: “Please don’t buy off unauthorised outlets or sources or you run the risk of losing out. There is only so much we can do.”

All customers who had purchased tickets directly from Ticketmaster will receive full refunds - this includes purchasers who subsequently sold their tickets on.

This means the touts who purchased multiple tickets and sold them on to Eminem fans will be refunded the money.

But the fans who purchased tickets from unauthorised outlets such as online auction sites or through magazine advertisements will not be reimbursed by Ticketmaster.

Fine Gael TD Jimmy Deenihan called for Government action to outlaw ticket touting on the back of the cancelled Eminem concert.

“It is absolutely galling to hear news of touts making even more profit out of scalping genuine fans due to the cancellation of the Eminem concert, since they will be refunded for tickets, purchased by credit card, that they have already sold on above face value.

“At present, we have the unacceptable situation where genuine fans, who may be unable to get tickets for sporting, theatre or music events, are easy targets for unscrupulous touts,” he said.

Carmel Foley, the Director of Consumer Affairs, said: “The bitter experience of fans who have lost out is a caution to consumers who are willing to purchase tickets for high profile events from any source, regardless of the implications or cost.”

Mr Deenihan said the party had published a Bill proposing tough legislative action against touting which leaves thousands of fans out of pocket each year.

“The Government has been in possession of this ready-made legislation since May but has failed to act,” he said.

The TD said under the terms of the proposal for legislation gardaí would be given extra powers to tackle the problem and it would be made a criminal offence to sell tickets for events at a higher price than is printed on the ticket.