Thousands Of Fake Oasis Tickets Discovered On Stubhub And Vivid Seats, Deceiving Fans Ahead Of U.s. Tour Going On Sale
In a Letter to Congress, the National Independent Venue Association Calls for a Hearing to Investigate the Proliferation of Deceptive Practices Defrauding Fans
(October 2, 2024) – Tonight, the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) issued a letter to Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation Chair Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), urging immediate action against widespread deceptive practices perpetuated by predatory ticket brokers and resale platforms through Senate action the Fans First Act. The letter highlights the alarming evidence of at least 9,000 fake tickets already listed for sale for the highly anticipated U.S. shows of Oasis, despite the fact that the promoter has yet to make U.S. tickets available for anyone to purchase until October 4, with pre-sale tickets going live October 3. Not only are these tickets fake, they are estimated to be exceedingly higher than the face value of real tickets.
NIVA Executive Director Stephen Parker emphasizes the critical nature of this issue. NIVA published the full letter here.
For the past two years, NIVA and its members have been sounding the alarm on consumer abuse stemming from predatory ticket brokers empowered by major resale platforms like StubHub and Vivid Seats. These brokers are selling speculative tickets —those not in their possession, and in many cases, non-existent. The examples provided in the letter underscore the urgent need for congressional intervention.
Key issues highlighted in the letter include:
The Proliferation of Fake Tickets: Over 9,000 tickets for Oasis shows have surfaced on two of the largest resale platforms ahead of their official sale, in spite of there being no legitimate tickets available for fans to purchase yet.
Impact on Local Communities: Price gouging from these fraudulent ticket sales diverts essential funds away from fans, diminishing their availability to spend on local businesses, such as food, drinks, and merchandise at shows.
NIVA calls on the Senate Commerce Committee to hold a hearing on predatory ticket practices, including the sale of speculative tickets, upon Congress’s return from recess in November. It also urges lawmakers to advance the Fans First Act as part of a comprehensive year-end legislative package to reform ticketing practices.
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
