Eddie Hearn and another ticketing row.

I'm sure we've all had the unfortunate experience of trying to buy a ticket, being shoved in a cyber queue and ultimately shafted at the end saying the event is sold out. Surprise surprise Bellew v Haye sold out in 50 mins, seems to be a common theme with Hearn shows he manages to sell these events out in almost record times constantly, however the average Joe can easily click on numerous touting websites and buy limitless tickets for inflated prices. I must say thankfully this one event I have absolute zero interest in going to - however this sticks in my craw on how the hole ticket business is handled. Is it about time we have a thorough investigation ?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-3987518/Ticketing-row-sell-David-Haye-vs-Tony-Bellew-fight-websites-filled-thousands-seats.html

Cheers, Rodders

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2016/oct/19/touts-using-bots-buy-tickets-face-jail

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2016/nov/24/culture-committee-urge-government-swift-action-stop-ticket-touts-software-bots-resale

I don't even attempt to get to Matchroom shows any more - waste of time.

Unfortunately, the government are all for the free market and rampant capitalism and so it may take time to fix.

Conservative MP Damien Collins is a strong anti-tout campaigner..

He's been lobbying the Culture Secretary against the practice of Ticket "Harvesting"

Think anybody reading Rod's article should perhaps contact him about your current frustrations and older frustrations..

Seems a committed type..

I'd advise everyone to write to their MP over this issue. I have, not sure it achieved much, but the more that do it the more chance it will get raised as a topic. I've said it before this is an entertainment industry problem, not just Matchroom, but Matchroom will always get more grief as they're sponsored by Stubhub. Hearn maintains that no tickets are given to stubhub to sell at inflated prices and I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and trust that is true.

However there are still questions I think he needs to ask.

What measures does he put in place to ensure people don't have multiple Fight Pass accounts? Does he do IP address checks? Does he see how many of the regular sellers on stubhub are linked to Fight PAss accounts? Does he ask Stubhub for details of users who regularly sell tickets at inflated prices, and if so does he ever ban them from buying in future. Does he monitor where fighter allocated tickets end up?

All of these are fairly easy security checks he could do to eliminate or reduce these practices, my guess is he does none of these things. If so he deserves all the grief he gets on this issue.

Not sure whats more concerning at the moment. The hardship in getting any tickets at face value or the fact that people are stupid enough to pay above face value for Bellew Vs Haye tickets.

I moaned on Twitter about this. I tried (as per most Matchroom events) to by tickets the second they went on sale. No joy but within 15 mins of general sale, there were 1,500 already on Stub Hub for nearly double the amount.

For example the £80 tickets were starting at £149!

Joke

I don't know how they could stop this happening to be honest without making the whole reselling of tickets illegal.

Maybe put a restriction on when you are allowed to sell a ticket on. Example, not being allowed to re sell until within 30 days of the actual fight. At least that would stop people scooping up al the tickets and banging them straight on stubhub?

Maybe it would drive the prices up even more though. Who knows!

Rowley wrote:Hearn maintains that no tickets are given to stubhub to sell at inflated prices and I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and trust that is true.

Did he say none are given though?

If they aren't given them are they being bought by them?

With every event you'll have you VVIP, VIP, production tickets etc set aside but sponsors usually get tickets too so if StubHub are a sponsor do they get any for that?

Need to do what Iron Maiden did

Your credit card you bought it with is your ticket

Posters on here puke on Haye v Bellew but will buy it...

People will protest about touting and still pay for the tickets..

There is a choice....

I think the tickets should have your name printed to help or as BoxingFan88 said would be great.

Would need tweaking for tickets bought as a gift and if that person not attending but would help.

Stub Hub not sponsoring Matchroom would help!

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Posters on here puke on Haye v Bellew but will buy it...

People will protest about touting and still pay for the tickets..

There is a choice....

Wouldn't it just be great if there was a rage against the machine moment, where the touts bought all the tickets and everyone refused to by them. Haye fights bellew in front of an empty stadium, and no-one buys the Ppv. The touts lose a bundle, Eddie loses a bundle, sky refuse to host another ppv, haye retires skint or actually has to find a real opponent and Tony bellew's kids have to live on bread and water for a while.

I'm savouring that thought for a moment. Right, back to the real world.

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Posters on here puke on Haye v Bellew but will buy it...

People will protest about touting and still pay for the tickets..

There is a choice....

Nope and some of us would rather pay to go to Vegas and watch a decent fight in January

milkyboy wrote:

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Posters on here puke on Haye v Bellew but will buy it...

People will protest about touting and still pay for the tickets..

There is a choice....

Wouldn't it just be great if there was a rage against the machine moment, where the touts bought all the tickets and everyone refused to by them. Haye fights bellew in front of an empty stadium, and no-one buys the Ppv. The touts lose a bundle, Eddie loses a bundle, sky refuse to host another ppv, haye retires skint or actually has to find a real opponent and Tony bellew's kids have to live on bread and water for a while.

I'm savouring that thought for a moment. Right, back to the real world.

Sounds like Tim Bradley vs Devon Alexander...