Underground vendors seek to acquire tickets through automated means - Unscrupulous Ticket Scalpers Seek to Acquire Tickets through Automated Software
CTS Eventim Tackles Ticket Scalping with Fansale Platform
In an interview with the German Press Agency in Hamburg, Klaus-Peter Schulenberg, CEO of CTS Eventim, has revealed the widespread issue of ticket scalping at entertainment events. According to Schulenberg, black market dealers are using computer programs to mass purchase tickets with automated bot requests, particularly during major events like the Olympics or concerts by artists such as Ed Sheeran.
Schulenberg emphasized that these bot requests are not isolated incidents but a regular occurrence, with millions of such requests faced by Eventim during major ticket onsales. The practice, often referred to as ticket scalping, is known, but its exact scale remains uncertain.
To combat this issue, CTS Eventim, the world's second-largest ticket provider after Live Nation Entertainment from the USA, has implemented measures to block such purchases. The company operates its own resale platform, Fansale, which provides a safer alternative and aims to curb abuse on the unauthorized secondary market.
Fansale, which has been in operation since 2007, operates at cost, according to Eventim. The platform sells tickets for concerts, theater performances, and sporting events, as well as organizing concerts itself and operating venues like the Waldbühne in Berlin.
Schulenberg also highlighted past abuse, fraud, and usury on unauthorized secondary market platforms. Last year, Eventim temporarily suspended the resale of Taylor Swift tickets due to a hacker attack. Despite this, a low double-digit number of unauthorized resales occurred, which were reversed.
Private ticket reselling is generally allowed in Germany, but event organizers can prohibit commercial reselling. Eventim's Fansale platform provides a legal and secure alternative for fans to resell their tickets, ensuring that they get a fair price for their tickets and preventing abusive practices on unauthorized platforms.
Schulenberg's statements suggest that bot-driven ticket acquisition by black market dealers is a systemic issue affecting entertainment events broadly, with particularly intense activity around major attractions. Eventim continues to work towards providing a secure and fair ticketing experience for fans.
- In an attempt to provide a secure and fair ticketing experience for the community, Eventim's CEO, Klaus-Peter Schulenberg, has announced that they are implementing measures to block bot-driven ticket acquisitions, a common issue during major events like the Olympics or concerts by artists such as Ed Sheeran, by using technology to combat ticket scalping.
- Recognizing the widespread issue of ticket scalping in the entertainment industry, Eventim has organized its own resale platform, Fansale, which not only sells tickets for concerts, theater performances, and sporting events but also aims to curb abusive practices on unauthorized secondary market platforms by leveraging technology and vocational training to ensure a legal and secure alternative for fans.
