I don't want to be in that number - StubHub statement
Spurs News 24/7The Stop StubHub group, in conjunction with the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust, have released a new statement regarding the Stop StubHub campaign.
Thanks to the work of the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust, the club and StubHub have handed over data regarding the use of the StubHub system for the first six games of this season. The Stop StubHub group, along with the Trust, have studied the figures provided and as a result have released the following statement:
Having received headline data on StubHub sales for the first six Premier League home games of this season, it is clear that the StubHub resale platform is pushing up the price of tickets to watch Tottenham Hotspur.
The evidence provided shows that 91% of tickets are being sold above face value. At the two category A games included in the data, Chelsea and West Ham, tickets were sold at an average price of 135% and 53% above face value respectively.
These figures show that StubHub and Tottenham Hotspur Football Club (THFC) are misguided to continue insisting that that the high prices shown on the StubHub platform do not equate to actual sales.
The evidence is clear for all to see.
A system in which 91% of tickets are being sold at above face value, and substantially more in a significant number of cases, is not one that supporters' organisations can back.
We also believe the Club should be concerned at the fact that 19%, almost one fifth, of season ticket holders have not been able to make one or more of the opening six league games of the season.
We note the Club intend to make changes to ticketing T&Cs to prevent abuse of the ability to relist tickets on the StubHub platform, also known as ‘flipping’. We are not confident that a fair and transparent method of identifying what is legitimate relisting and what is abusive relisting exists. The Club is, in our opinion, dealing with a symptom of the StubHub system, which it has willingly agreed to.
We believe a ticket exchange should be a service to supporters, not a means of pushing up ticket prices or generating additional revenue.
In support of the campaign against licensed ticket touts, the Football Supporters’ Federation said: "Fans already find ticket prices more than demanding enough. The introduction of an additional level of profiteering at our expense can only serve to price more fans out of the game, and must be resisted".
We, therefore, call on THFC to end the partnership with StubHub at the earliest opportunity and, instead, to work with supporter groups, the FA and Premier League in their efforts to establish a genuine ticket exchange scheme that does not drive up prices or incentivise fans to exploit fellow fans.
Signatories:
The Board of Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust
Total Tottenham website
The Fighting Cock
Dear Mr Levy website
Alan Fisher – Tottenham on my Mind
TottenhamBlog
Mel Gomes @ The Substantive website
Spurstalk website
Martin Cloake, author and fan