AEG-owned ticketing provider AXS is launching a "groundbreaking" resale platform in the UK to help curb ticket touting.
AXS Marketplace will give fans the option of reselling tickets at face value with a cap of no more than 10%. Built in controls also allow artists and promoters to manage restrictions on the resale of tickets to their shows as required.
Eliminating paper tickets, the mobile friendly, identity-based Flash Seats system will assign tickets directly to fans attending, replacing the standard PDF attached to an email. A dynamically changing barcode system will also ensure that the tickets cannot be copied or shared illegally.
AXS Europe MD Robert Byrne said: "AXS is proud to provide a fully integrated platform across both the primary and resale markets, giving everyone the opportunity to sell and purchase tickets at a capped, fair price. This will help prevent ticket touting and help combat illegal counterfeiting. We know that fans, artists and their representatives have been looking for a solution to these issues for a long time and we believe AXS Marketplace with Flash Seats mobile delivery will be a real game-changer."
AEG venues The O2 and The SSE Arena, Wembley have become the first to partner with AXS Marketplace, which is expected to roll out in Q4 2018.
Byrne told Music Week: "It's about providing fans with what they want and connecting them with the artist, creating greater engagement."
Tom Miserendino, president and CEO of AEG Europe, said: “We have been deeply impressed with this technology and what it allows us, our partners and our customers to do. There has been a noticeable shift in the industry recently and more of our artists and promoters want a better solution to ensure fans get an authentic ticket at a fair price. Through AXS Marketplace, Flash Seats mobile delivery and capped pricing, we can now deliver this. It is fairer for fans, eliminates counterfeiting, combats touting and allows us to have a complete view of everyone at the event. We have listened and responded.
"This partnership is a ground-breaking solution for ticketing in Europe and we encourage other ticketing providers selling seats at our venues to join it.”
Bryan Perez, CEO of AXS, said: “We have looked long and hard at our European market and some of the ongoing issues around the equitable resale and purchasing of tickets. AXS Marketplace is a conscious decision to introduce technology that will enable both artists and fans to regain control of the ticketing process.
"In addition, we are opening up the Flash Seats technology to competing ticketing providers who sell primary tickets for events at our partner venues to ensure a comprehensive solution to help combat touting, eliminate counterfeits and provide a fair route for resale.”
