StubHub Says Artists, Venues, Fans – Not Scalpers – Inflate Ticket Prices

Although US focused the mechanics and dynamics are equally applicable to most countries

http://evolver.fm/2011/04/04/stubhub-says-artists-promoters-venues-and-fans-not-scalpers-cause-price-inflation-and-ticket-shortages/

Really?

Ebay seem to be managing it quite well with their illegal sale of Olympic tickets

That's ebay.com
It's not illegal to resell Olympic tickets in the USA.

ebay.co.uk don't have Olympic tickets.

Well done Markland in highlighting that Olympics tickets can be resold on a ebay.com account.
There will be lots of people who have tickets that they can no longer use, who will find this information useful, even more so when they see the prices for some of the completted auctions.
 

"For someone who spends most of his time on this forum telling people to stop talking rubbish, what the hell are you posting that for?"

Because I can and I feel like it. And getting a reaction from you is all the more sweeter.

You need to check the law

It is illegal anywhere in the world without written authority from LOCOG

Check the legislation

"On this particular point regarding ebay we've already been told by Police that they are committing offences"

I'm afraid that being told by "the police" doesn't hack it. Who exactly told you? Your friendly copper on the beat? The Met. Commissioner?

To put it in simple terms, for something to be law there has to be written legislation and try as I might I cannot find anything to say that it's illegal to sell Olympic tickets in the USA. I am more than happy to be proved wrong if someone can point me in the correct direction.

Let's look at the case of a South African person who sold tickets on Ebay.com for the Opening Ceremony. Ebay.com don't sell anything themselves. Do you think a UK court could force them to disclose the details of the seller? I don't think so - but could be wrong. Even if they could - what would happen next? Is it illegal to sell these tickets in South Africa? (Another one that I don't know the answer to). Would the UK courts apply for extradition of that person? Would they apply for extradition of Mr. Ebay.com if he didn't disclose the details? What do you think?

And what about the buyer? The only crime he's committed is that of having more money than sense.

Nobody is ever going to stop the black market in Olympic tickets. Operation Podium have got it spot on - going for the scammers who have been selling non-existent tickets as these are the real criminals

No, the opinion came from a Police officer in a unit with specialist knowledge of this very subject

So no it wasn't a "friendly copper on the beat"

And the point we made was that several of these offers on ebay look potentially fraudulent

As for the legislation I suggest you look at sections 31 and 41 (5) of the Olympic legislation

Section 31 makes it an offence to sell or offer for sale Olympic tickets without written authorisation from LOCOG

Ebay has no written authorisation from LOCOG

Section 41 (5) makes it any offence anywhere in the world

So ebay are breaking the law

And it was Operation Podium who stated that regardless of where people were offering these tickets for sale, they would send them cease and desist letters and if they failed to stop, they would be arrested if they set foot in the UK

Their words not ours
 

Here is the legislation:

31Sale of tickets

(1)A person commits an offence if he sells an Olympic ticket—

(a)in a public place or in the course of a business, and

(b)otherwise than in accordance with a written authorisation issued by the London Organising Committee.

(2)For the purposes of subsection (1)—

(a)“Olympic ticket” means anything which is or purports to be a ticket for one or more London Olympic events,

(b)a reference to selling a ticket includes a reference to—

(i)offering to sell a ticket,

(ii)exposing a ticket for sale,

(iii)advertising that a ticket is available for purchase, and

(iv)giving, or offering to give, a ticket to a person who pays or agrees to pay for some other goods or services, and

(c)a person shall (without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1)(a)) be treated as acting in the course of a business if he does anything as a result of which he makes a profit or aims to make a profit.

41

Extent and application

(5)Section 31 shall apply in respect of anything done whether in the United Kingdom or elsewhere.