Europe’s Live Performance Sector Calls on EU for Tougher Regulations for Online Marketplaces
Open letter calls for EU’s upcoming Digital Services Act to introduce laws aimed at curbing ticket resale abuse
Over 130 festivals, promoters, venues, performers and organisations have signed
Includes representatives for Christine and the Queens, Ed Sheeran and Rammstein
Over 130 representatives from across Europe’s live performance sector have signed an open letter calling for the European Union to introduce tougher laws to combat online ticket scalping.
The letter comes as the European Union reaches the final stages in negotiating rules for a Digital Services Act, a regulation designed to clean up the internet, including tackling abuses on online marketplaces such as ticket resale platforms.
The growing list of signatories includes managers, agents and promoters for Ed Sheeran, Rammstein, Christine and the Queens, Jean-Michel Jarre, Alejandro Sanz, Hélène Grimaud, Parov Stelar, Måneskin, Die Ärzte, Yann Tiersen and Sigur Rós; plus festivals, venues, industry groups and performers. Each signatory either works in the EU live performance sector or represents performers who regularly tour Europe.
The signatories – who represent the worlds of pop, ballet, theatre, comedy, opera and more – are fed up with the exploitative ticket resale market that drains hundreds of millions of euros from Europe’s live sector annually. Not only does this impact the recovery of their businesses post-pandemic, but it also has a knock-on effect on artists and business owners, as well as ripping off consumers.
The letter, which has been circulated among policy-makers, asks that marketplaces of all sizes be required to collect and maintain up-to-date information on sellers. It also asks for marketplaces to verify the seller information obtained, and be required to carry out periodic spot-checks on products, to help detect fraudulent tickets. These measures would help curb widespread ticket resale abuse by requiring online marketplaces to take basic steps to protect consumers.
Currently these marketplaces facilitate such instances of resale abuse by allowing professional scalpers to operate under the guise of anonymity while reselling tickets for a significant profit, contrary to consumer protection and competition laws in many Member States. As a result, over 50 legal cases and initiatives have occurred in recent years.
Scumeck Sabottka, founding partner of FEAT and MCT Agentur CEO, promoter and agent working with acts like Rammstein and Robbie Williams, said: “I, like others who have signed this letter, am sick and tired of parasitic secondary ticketing sites ripping off fans and live events businesses. We need tougher rules to help us fight back and I hope that a stronger framework can be established to achieve this”.
Magdalena Menheere, Group coordination ticketing, Bundestheater-Holding (Austria’s state theatres) commented, “The DSA brings major opportunities to create EU-wide harmonisation of rules and take action against cross-border fraudulent secondary ticketing. The traceability of traders interlocked with the cross-border enforcement of effective legislation is key to protect artists, audiences, and venues in the live performance sector.”
The letter was penned by the Face-value European Alliance for Ticketing (FEAT), in association with FanFair Alliance, International Federation of Musicians, Pearle* — Live Performance Europe and promoters’ associations Bundesverband der Konzert- und Veranstaltungswirtschaft (BDKV) and Association of Musical Promoters (APM).
Live performance professionals can sign the letter here.
Representative Organisations
ACOD Cultuur: Inge Hermans (ACOD Cultuur President Comité Muziek)
APM (Asociación de Promotores Musicales) (Music Promoters Association of Spain): Albert Salmerón (President)
BDKV: Johannes Ulbricht (Legal Director)
Bundestheater-Holding GmbH (Austrian Federal Theatres' Organisation): Magdalena Menheere (Group coordination ticketing)
CSC Transcom Culture: Didier Gilquin (Culture General Manager)
The Danish Musicians’ Union: Søs Nyengaard (Chairman of the Board)
Deutsche Orchestervereinigung (German Orchestra Association): Jean-Marc Vogt (Musician/President)
European Music Managers Alliance (EMMA): Per Kviman, Chair
FAIR-MediaSind, The Romanian Federation for Culture and Mass-Media: Leonard Octavian Paduret (President)
Face-value European Alliance for Ticketing: Sam Shemtob (Director and Co-Founder)
FanFair Alliance: Adam Webb (Campaign Manager)
Finnish Musicians' Union: Ahti Vänttinen (President)
FNV (Federation of Dutch Trade Unions): Martin Kothman (Director of Media & Culture, Netherlands), Heather Kurzbauer (Professor)
Gadget abc Entertainment Group AG: Christof Huber (Festivals Director)
German Orchestra Union: Gerald Mertens (CEO)
Hungarian Musicians' and Dancers' Union: László Gyimesi (Vice President)
International Federation of Musicians: Benoît Machuel (General Secretary)
The Ivors Academy: Graham Davies (CEO), Crispin Hunt (Director)
Live DMA: Audrey Guerre (Co-Ordinator)
LKDAF (Latvian Cultural Workers Union): Aldis Misēvičs (Chairman)
The Musicians’ Company: Richard Lyttelton (Charity Trustee)
Music Managers Forum: Annabella Coldrick (Chief Executive)
Musicians’ Union of Ireland: Seamus Doyle (Musician)
Musicians’ Union UK: Horace Trubridge (General Secretary)
Norwegian Live Music Association: Tone Oesterdal (CEO)
Pearle* - Live Performance Europe: Silke Lalvani (Head of Public Affairs)
SLC CGIL (Communication Workers’ Union): Loris Grossi (Representative)
SMV-USDAM Switzerland (Swiss Musicians’ Union): Beat Santschi (General Secretary)
Sindicato Profesional de Músicos (Spanish Professional Union of Musicians): Pablo Múzquiz (President)
Symf (Swedish Union of Professional Musicians): Gunnar Jönsson (President), Jonas Nyberg (Editor)
Theater-Transfer: Michael Hilleckenbach (Managing Director)
Vereinte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft (ver.di), music section: Gabor Scheinpflug (Chairman)
Victim of Viagogo: Claire Turnham MBE (Founder and Campaigner), Jane Robinson (Moderator)
Younion: Thomas Dürrer (Sekretär ÖGB - Section Secretary)
YOUROPE - The European Festival Organisation: Katharina Weber (Project Manager)
Agents
All Artists Agency: Michael Sand (Booking Agent)
Creative Artists Agency: Emma Banks (Co-Head International Touring), Andy Cook (Agent), Jamie Shaughnessy (Agent)
One Fiinix Live: Jon Ollier (CEO/Agent)
Paradigm Talent Agency
Primary Talent International: Ben Winchester (Director)
Progressive Artists: Rob Gibbs (Booking Agent)
Pure: Angus Baskerville (Director), Jodie Harkins (General Manager)
United Talent Agency: Jules de Lattre (Agent), Beth Morton (Agent), Jamie Waldman (Agent)
Artists
The Slovak Philharmonic: Daniel Baran (Musician)
Danceperados of Ireland: Petr Pandula (Artistic Director)
Bernd Stelter: (Comedian)
Festivals
AiaSound Festival: Frederik Kjærgaard (Founder & CCO)
Caribana Festival: Samuel Galley (Booking & Production)
Festival Cruïlla: Jordi Herreruela Salas (Director)
HOME Festival: Emanuela Virago (General Manager)
Paléo Festival Nyon: David Franklin (Ticketing Manager)
Provinssi Festival: Sami Rumpunen (Festival Director)
Rock en Seine Festival: Matthieu Ducos (General manager)
We Love Green: Marie Sabot (Director)
Winterthurer Musikfestwochen - David Egg (Co-Head of Festival)
Verein Openair Etziken: Yves Ammann (Festivalleitung - Festival Director)
Managers
Crockford Management: Paul Crockford (Manager)
Grumpy Old Management Ltd: Stuart Camp (Manager of Ed Sheeran)
Klassenfahrt: Florian Böde (Artist Manager)
Ignition: Alec McKinlay (Partner)
RLM: Yann Barbot (Marketing & Booking Director)
Wildlife Entertainment Limited: Ian McAndrew (Artist Manager)
Promoters
AllBlues Konzert AG: Johannes Vogel (Director)
All Things Live Group: Kim Worsøe (CEO)
Applaus Kulturproduktionen GmbH: Paul Kunze (CEO)
art.emis Entertainment GmbH: Ulrich Lautenschläger (Manager)
Artist Promotion Management Ltd: Harvey Goldsmith (CEO)
a.s.s. concerts & promotion GmbH: Dieter Erich (CEO), Florian Böhlendorf (Agent), Mick Köppe (Booking Agent), Sara Lemke (Tour Production), Jessica Zühr (Ticketing), Fabian Rau (Event Management Trainee), Susanne Strathausen (Marketing Manager)
Barley Arts: Claudio Trotta (Promoter)
Barracuda Music GmbH, Austria: Franz Erhardt (CEO)
Barracuda Holding GmbH, Austria — Austria: Ewald Tatar (CEO)
Cávea Producciones: Ramón García-Barros (Owner)
concert team nrw: Berni Lewkowicz (General Manager)
d2mberlin GmbH/Die Wühlmäuse GmbH: Daniel Domdey (CEO)
DEAG Deutsche Entertainment AG: Britta Herrström (Senior Corporate Lawyer)
Doctor Music Concerts: Neo Sala (Founder and CEO)
domino Event SARL: Stefan Breitenmoser (CEO)
DreamHaus GmbH: TimEichin (Senior Coordinator Finance/Legal)
FKP Scorpio: Folkert Koopmans (CEO)
Greenhouse Talent: Pascal Van De Velde (Founder and CEO)
Goodlive Artists: Justus Mang (Managing Director)
In&Out Producciones: Ana Zamarbide (CEO)
JCPL (Jerkin Crocus Promotions Ltd): Mick Brown (Agent)
I-Motion GmbH Events & Communication: Oliver Vordemvenne (CEO)
Just Because: Samuel Galley (Director, also of Ishtar Music), Kay Galley (Chief Marketing & Communication)
Just Life Music: Daniel Molina Morales (Head Promoter)
Karsten Jahnke Konzertdirektion GmbH: Ben Mitha (Managing Director)
Kontrapunkt-Konzerte (Counterpoint Concerts): Martin Blankenburg (CEO)
Konzertbuero Schoneberg GmbH (Germany): Andreas Moller (Head Promoter)
Kulturgipfel GmbH: Hilmar Koerzinger (CEO)
Landstreicher Booking & Landstreicher Konzerte: Christopher Moeller (CEO)
Live Music Production: Michael Drieberg (Managing Director)
MAAG Music & Arts AG: Fabian Duss (CEO)
MCT Agentur GmbH: Scumeck Sabottka (CEO)
MITUNSKANNMAN.REDEN. GmbH & Co. KG: Oliver Harms (Project Management and Ticketing), Max Paul (Event Manager), Thomas Schulz (Promoter)
Mundo Management s.a: Sanchez-Rando Leon (Contratacion)
Revolution Event GmbH: Michael Struber (Project Manager)
The Music Republic: Juan Carlos Gutiérrez (Director of Events)
Power Concerts GmbH: Arthur Theisinger (Managing Director)
Opus One SA: Vincent Sager (CEO)
The Project Music Company: Tito Ramoneda (Founder and CEO), Sandra Galindo (Management)
Universal Sounds: Daniel Hunziker (Managing Director)
Undercover GmbH: Michael Schacke (CEO)
VADDI Concerts GmbH: Marc Oßwald (Managing Director)
Zeitklang Event: Michael Richter (CEO)
Venues
Brighton Centre: Lindsey Scott (Ticketing & Customer Services Manager)
Capitol Betriebs GmbH: Thorsten Riehle (Managing Director)
Haus der Springmaus: Berit Baumhoff (Manager)
The O2: Veronica Kakuba (Head of Event Ticketing Operations)
SNG Opera in balet Ljubljana (The Ljubljana Opera House): Andrej Sraka (Musician)
Others
Michael Waterson: (author of the Waterson Review, an independent review of consumer protection measures concerning online secondary ticketing facilities, presented to UK Parliament May 2016)
RBR Abogados SL: Juan Luis Rodriguez (lawyer)
About APM
The Association of Musical Promoters (APM) is the main representative of the music industry in Spain. Its partners are responsible for the principal national and international tours and festivals that take place in the country. The association is also in charge of editing the Live Music Yearbook, a reference publication in the music industry. Since 2001, the APM has led the demands of the sector and has conducted dialogues with the administrations in order to better represent the interests of the sector.
About FanFair Alliance
FanFair Alliance is the UK-based campaign to challenge and disrupt exploitative online ticket touting. Supported by a wide cross-section of the UK’s live music business, including managers and teams for artists including Arctic Monkeys, PJ Harvey, Ed Sheeran, Keane, Nick Cave, Noel Gallagher, Biffy Clyro, Pixies, Little Mix, Iron Maiden, George Ezra, Mark Knopfler, Little Mix and many others, FanFair has helped drive significant regulatory and legislative change to better safeguard UK audiences, as well as successfully advocating for the adoption of capped consumer-friendly ticket resale.
About FEAT
Established in January 2019, the Face-value European Alliance for Ticketing is a non-profit organisation formed to promote better ticket resale practices across Europe. FEAT’s members are leading live event professionals from Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain, as well as EEA members Norway and Switzerland.
They have promoted:
Music artists including Adele, Ed Sheeran, Elton John, Björk, Iron Maiden, Florence + the Machine, Rolling Stones, Radiohead and Rammstein
Comedians including Maz Jobrani, Aziz Ansari, Michael McIntyre, Ane Høgsberg, and Dara O’Briain
Festivals including Nova Rock Festival and Pitchfork Paris
Pearle* - Live Performance Europe
PEARLE* – Live Performance Europe represents through its member associations the interests of more than 10,000 organisations including orchestras, music ensembles, groups, festivals, concert halls, producers, promoters and service suppliers in the event technology across Europe. This includes profit as well as non-profit organisations, ranging from micro-enterprises to companies over 250 employees. Pearle* is recognised by the European Commission as a European sectoral social partner, representing the employers in the European sectoral social dialogue committee live performance.
The International Federation of Musicians
The International Federation of Musicians (FIM), founded in 1948, is the only body representing musicians’ unions, guilds and associations globally, with members in about 65 countries covering all regions of the world. FIM is recognised as an NGO by diverse international authorities such as WIPO, UNESCO, the ILO, the European Commission, the European Parliament or the Council of Europe.