Unscrupulous individuals aim to purchase tickets using automated software
In the world of live events, ticket scalping has long been a contentious issue. Major events, such as the Olympics and performances by artists like Ed Sheeran, are often targeted by ticket touts. These speculators acquire tickets with the intention of reselling them at high prices on unauthorized secondary markets.
One of the largest ticket providers, CTS Eventim, is based in Germany and operates in various sectors, including concerts, theater performances, and sporting events. Eventim is listed on the stock exchange and claims to be the world's second-largest ticket provider, with the largest being Live Nation Entertainment from the USA.
To address the issue of ticket scalping, Eventim has developed its own platform, Fansale. According to Klaus-Peter Schulenberg, the CEO of Eventim, Fansale operates at cost. The platform aims to counteract the black market ticket resale by providing a controlled environment for secondary sales, thus reducing scalper advantages.
Schulenberg has reported millions of automated bot requests during major onsales, with individual scalpers attempting tens of thousands of automated access attempts to secure extra queue positions. In response, Eventim deploys systems that identify and prevent these automated purchases during ticket sales.
The practice of ticket scalping via automated bots is a pervasive issue affecting major event sales worldwide. However, the scale of the problem is not fully known. There have been instances of abuse, usury, and fraud on both authorized and unauthorized secondary market platforms, according to Schulenberg.
Last year, Eventim temporarily suspended the resale of Taylor Swift tickets following a hacker attack. Despite these challenges, the company remains committed to ensuring fairer ticket distribution. This commitment extends to supporting regulatory frameworks aimed at outlawing ticket bots and requiring transparency in resale markets, as outlined in EU legislation.
Eventim's Fansale platform has been operational since 2007, and fans can use it to resell tickets. However, ticket touts have been known to use software en masse to obtain tickets for resale on unauthorized secondary markets. To combat this, Eventim, like many other event promoters, has the option to prohibit commercial resale of tickets.
In summary, Eventim is actively addressing the issue of ticket scalping through sophisticated bot detection technologies, controlled resale platforms like Fansale, and support of regulatory frameworks aimed at ensuring fairer ticket distribution. The company's efforts align with broader industry efforts and legal measures to protect genuine fans and curb automated scalping.
- In the realm of technology, Eventim, a leading ticket provider, has developed Fansale, a controlled environment for secondary ticket sales aimed at combating the issue of cybersecurity threats posed by automated ticket scalping bots.
- Despite the entertainment industry's growing reliance on technology for event ticketing, concerns about fairness in sports and the entertainment sector persist, with entities like Eventim committing to regulatory frameworks designed to combat ticket scalping and ensure a level playing field for genuine fans.
