Can Australian Music Survive in the Age of Spotify?
When it comes to live music, ticketing has long been a battleground for fans, artists, and venues. Hidden fees, industry monopolies, and reselling at inflated prices have created an ecosystem where fans often feel exploited. An article in the UK Guardian a few days back, showcases the large rift between what ticket buyers want from ticket sellers and what ticket sellers are delivering, with Oasis fans paying more than double the actual price, for no apparent reason except that the company could, potentially breaching UK consumer protection laws.
A further recent article in The Verge highlights the growing scrutiny around major ticketing companies, lobbying efforts, and the future of ticket sales.
The ALMBC has been pushing for ticketing transparency as a key national (and global) issue driving dis-satisfaction for punters. On 15 May 2024, the US House of Representatives voted to pass the TICKET Act, which aims to ensure transparent pricing for consumers. The bill, which passed by 388 votes to 24, is the most comprehensive consumer protection ticketing legislation in recent history. The bill, which is yet to be enacted, guarantees all-in pricing, prohibits deceptive sales tactics, and ensures refunds for cancelled events.
This followed nineteen organisations coming together to form the Fix The Tix Coalition, led by the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) in the US.
Despite the global push for transparency, there is a key point that isn’t being discussed: the technology to make ticketing fully transparent – and eliminate scalping entirely – already exists.
So, why hasn’t the industry adopted it? And more importantly, what can be done to fix this broken system?
The Scalping Problem: Why Fans Keep Losing
Scalping and ticket resale at inflated prices remain one of the most frustrating issues in live music. Fans often find themselves paying two, three, or even ten times the original ticket price for high-demand shows. Resale marketplaces claim to offer a “fair” system, but in reality, many are owned by the same corporations selling the original tickets, creating an unchecked cycle of profit maximisation.
Take a look at how it works:
1. Primary ticketing companies sell tickets at face value.
2. Scalpers and bots purchase them in bulk before real fans can.
3. The same companies own resale platforms (e.g., StubHub, SeatGeek), where scalped tickets are sold at inflated prices.
4. The platforms take another cut of profits on the resale.
Essentially, ticketing giants profit not only from the first sale of the ticket but also from every resale that occurs afterward.
It’s a system that is designed to favour profit over fairness, and fans – along with independent venues and artists – are the ones paying the price.
The Tech Exists to Fix This – So Why Isn’t It Being Used?
Today’s ticketing technology is advanced enough to track:
– Who purchased a ticket (with verified identity).
– How much was paid for the ticket.
– Where the ticket is at any given time (transfers, resales, etc.).
Digital ticketing, blockchain technology, and biometric verification already power financial transactions worldwide – so why hasn’t ticketing fully embraced them?
The answer lies in who benefits from the current system. Ticketing giants make billions from the status quo. They have little incentive to change when the resale market generates massive revenue. Implementing transparency would mean losing a lucrative revenue stream.
But what if artists, venues, and governments started demanding change?
A Fairer Ticketing System: What Needs to Change?
For ticketing transparency to truly work, the following solutions must be adopted:
1. Identity-Linked Ticketing
The first and most effective way to eliminate scalping is to link tickets to the identity of the original purchaser. This could be done via:
- Personalised digital ticketing that requires verification (e.g., linking to a mobile number or email).
- Facial recognition or biometric authentication at entry points (similar to how airports verify boarding passes).
- Strict transfer policies that allow tickets to be legally resold only through verified channels, ensuring no markups beyond a set limit.
2. Price-Capped Resales
If resale is allowed, it should be at face value or near it. Some models already exist where ticket resale is restricted to official, price-controlled platforms. Artists like Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift have successfully used these strategies, ensuring fair pricing for fans.
3. Publicly Auditable Transactions
Blockchain technology offers an immutable, verifiable way to track ticket ownership and pricing. By implementing smart contracts, ticketing companies could make it impossible for tickets to be resold at inflated prices.
4. Fan-Centric Policies
More power needs to be given back to artists and venues to set ticketing rules, rather than letting corporate middlemen dictate policies.
- Some artists have begun implementing dynamic ticket pricing, adjusting ticket costs based on demand – a model that, if managed correctly, could prevent price gouging.
- Others have required proof of identity at the door, ensuring that the original purchaser is the one attending.
By making ticketing systems work for the fans, rather than against them, the industry can begin to rebuild trust.
Governments Are Taking Notice – But Is It Enough?
Globally, lawmakers are starting to take ticketing fairness seriously.
- In the United Kingdom, legislation has been proposed to force resale platforms to be more transparent about seller identities and pricing history.
- In Australia, consumer groups have been lobbying for tougher restrictions on ticket reselling, particularly in cases where prices exceed a certain percentage of face value.
- In the United States, the government is investigating monopolistic practices by major ticketing companies and considering regulations that could reshape the industry.
But these efforts are only the beginning. Until there is industry-wide adoption of full ticket transparency, scalping will continue to thrive.
Why Fans, Artists, and Venues Must Demand Change
There is no technical barrier stopping the industry from implementing these solutions. The only barrier is willpower.
Fans, artists, and industry advocates must continue to push for:
✔ Stronger legislation to protect consumers from price gouging.
✔ More ethical ticketing companies that prioritise transparency.
✔ Better enforcement of anti-scalping rules to prevent fraud.
The ALMBC is committed to advocating for fairer ticketing practices and greater accountability in the industry. We believe that a transparent, fair, and fan-friendly ticketing system is possible – but only if we demand it.
The Path Forward
Live music is built on passion, community, and shared experiences. Fans shouldn’t have to compete with bots or pay exorbitant fees just to enjoy their favourite artists.
It’s time for ticketing companies to stop making excuses. The technology exists to end scalping overnight – and the industry must be held accountable for refusing to use it.
Join the conversation – What do you think the future of ticketing should look like? Let us know your thoughts!
