The National Independent Venue Association Urges Yelp to Stop Empowering the Sale of Fake and Price-Gouged Tickets
(August 28, 2024) – Today, The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) issued a letter to Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman calling for the immediate cessation of deceptive ticket sales practices facilitated on the Yelp platform. The letter comes after multiple attempts by NIVA and its members to reach Yelp to discuss the disconcerting issue, which is supported by screenshots of the deceptive ticketing practices on the site. The letter underscores the harm these practices inflict on consumers, artists, and small businesses.
NIVA published the full letter here.
In the letter, NIVA explains how Yelp has been misleading users by directing them to a Yelp-branded TicketNetwork site where they encounter inflated prices and fake tickets. By partnering with TicketNetwork — a company known for anti-competitive and predatory practices — Yelp not only perpetuates these unethical practices but also undermines consumer trust and severely impacts independent venues by diverting sales from legitimate ticketing sources.
Key issues highlighted in the letter include:
Sale of non-existent or inaccurately listed tickets: Many consumers have been sold tickets for events that either do not exist or have incorrect dates and times, leading to confusion and disappointment.
Lack of transparency in ticket details: Tickets are often sold without specifying the section or seat, leaving consumers in the dark about what they are purchasing.
Sale of speculative or fake tickets: Tickets sold through Yelp’s platform are often not in the possession of the reseller, with many being outright fraudulent.
Price gouging: Tickets are regularly sold at 2-15 times the face value, even when tickets at face value are still available directly from the venue’s legitimate ticketing platform.
Stephen Parker, Executive Director of NIVA, emphasizes the gravity of the situation:
"Yelp has a duty to the communities it serves, yet its platform is currently complicit in predatory ticket sales that exploit consumers and undermine independent venues. Despite our numerous attempts to engage with Yelp and address these issues, our calls for action have gone unanswered. This is not just a matter of business ethics; it’s about protecting the cultural makeup of our communities. By partnering with a company like TicketNetwork, which has a long, documented history of legal troubles and unethical behavior, Yelp is facilitating a system that preys on consumers and undermines the integrity of the live entertainment industry. We urge Yelp to immediately remove these deceptive links and demonstrate a true commitment to protecting consumers and supporting independent venues.”
NIVA calls on Yelp to take the following immediate actions:
Remove all ticketing links to Yelp and TicketNetwork’s resale sites from the profiles of independent venues, festivals, and promoters.
Restore the trust of Yelp users by demonstrating a commitment to ethical business practices.
Support legislative efforts such as the Fans First Act to ensure that deceptive ticket resale practices are made illegal.
While we have not yet received a response to our outreach, NIVA stands ready to dialogue and work with Yelp to fix the issues laid out in the letter and this release.
NIVA has been at the forefront of efforts to combat deceptive ticketing practices through the FIX THE TIX (FTT) Coalition, a national advocacy group spearheaded by NIVA comprising over 30 live music and event industry organizations. United by a common goal, the coalition advocates for reforms to address broken ticketing practices and protect fans from predatory resale tactics. As part of these efforts, NIVA and FTT have rallied support for the Fans First Act, bipartisan legislation designed to enforce transparency in ticket sales and strengthen consumer protections. This act has garnered the backing of over 250 major artists, including Billie Eilish, Lorde, and Dave Matthews, who have joined NIVA in urging Congress to pass the legislation and end deceptive ticketing practices once and for all.
ABOUT NIVA
The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) is the national trade association representing thousands of independent live entertainment venues, festivals, promoters, and more. NIVA works to preserve and nurture the ecosystem of live entertainment. NIVA empowers members and their teams with member benefits, advocacy on the state, local, and federal levels, an annual industry-leading conference, and more.
NIVA led the Save Our Stages campaign, culminating in landmark legislation in 2020 that established the $16.25 billion Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program, the largest arts investment in U.S. history.
NIVA is committed to equity in its support of independent stages. It seeks to create and encourage opportunities for venues, promoters, and festivals owned, operated, and staffed by people of color, women, non-binary, LGBTQ+, veterans, and people with disabilities.
CONTACT
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Kris Ferraro, Kris@luckybreakpr.com
Mike Stommel, Mike@luckybreakpr.com