Ticketmaster has declined to comment on claims it is profiting from scalping on its affiliated website, Ticketmaster Resale, after thousands of Midnight Oil fans were left without passes to the band’s Melbourne concert.

Fans spoke out on Monday after tickets sold out in minutes, but later appeared for resale on sites — such as ViaGoGo, Stubhub and Ticketmaster Resale — at many times the original price.

A Ticketmaster spokesperson told the ABC that Ticketmaster Resale is a separate entity, and is a “fan to fan” site which enabled people to sell unwanted tickets.

But the spokesperson declined to comment on whether Ticketmaster was profiting from, or enabling scalping, by allowing tickets it sells through its main site to be resold soon after at up to six times their face value.

Ticketmaster’s parent company, Live Nation, reportedly made $1 billion from secondary ticket sales last year from its sites like Ticketmaster Resale, TicketsNow, and SeatWave.

Midnight Oil’s manager John Watson said he believes that of those who were able to buy tickets, “the vast majority are scalpers”.

“There are automated buying systems they use,” he said.

“Computers are able to jump the queue to put fans at a disadvantage.”
Mr Watson said the band was disappointed — especially because it took special measures to beat the scalpers on this tour, like issuing paper, instead of electronic tickets, linked to the name of the person who bought them.

Fans worried they’ll be turned away

Fans like Matt Koopmans — a fan of the band for 30 years — is outraged.

“The tickets I was going for, three hours later, were on a scalping website for $799,” he said.

He has no doubt scalpers scooped up many of the tickets fans like him were trying to get.

“If you’re a true Midnight Oil fan, you’d get your tickets and put them in a drawer until November. There’s no way you’d be selling them three hours later,” he said.
“Ticketmaster say they’re clamping down on scalping. But they’re scalping themselves.

“As far as I’m concerned, scalping is charging a higher price than what the purchase price of the ticket is and if Ticketmaster have a re-sale agency where they do that, they’re scalping.”

The band has urged fans not to buy secondary tickets, but Mr Koopmans had little choice — miss the concert, or pay the scalpers.

He paid. Now, he is worried he will be turned away at the gate.

“I’ll be devastated if that happens. I’ll be shattered,” he said.

– ABC