We’ve all been there, sitting at our computers or on our phones, fingers poised, waiting for tickets to become available for a must-see gig. The countdown ends, you hit refresh, and… nothing. Sold out. Seconds later, those same tickets appear on resale websites, but this time, for two or three times the original price.
That sinking feeling isn’t just about missing out, it’s the realisation that the demand wasn’t all from genuine fans. Instead, it was partially driven by those looking to make a profit: the ticket touting scalpers that inevitably end up asking if anyone wants “Animals for Leaders” tickets outside of an Animals as Leaders gig hours before the show starts… (true fans clearly).
In this post, I’ll explore how and why ticket touting exists, the economics behind it, and whether there’s a fairer way forward for fans, with a particular focus on the UK’s live event landscape.
Why Does Ticket Touting Exist?
At the heart of the issue is simple economics: supply and demand. For high-profile events, demand far exceeds supply. This creates an arbitrage opportunity that the scalper attempts to exploit, that is the ability to buy low (at the original price) and sell high (on a secondary platform).
Let’s say a ticket for a popular concert costs £75. Demand for this event is so high that people are willing to pay £250 or more on resale sites. That difference is profit for whoever controls the ticket, and the incentive is strong.
It’s this gap between the original price and the “market price” that allows scalpers to thrive. They often use bots to snap up large numbers of tickets the moment they’re released, shutting out real fans almost instantly. These tickets are then resold on secondary platforms like Viagogo, StubHub or (historically) GetMeIn and Seatwave, often at a significant markup.
Oasis and Demand-Led Pricing
A recent example worth noting was the 2025 Oasis reunion tour, that was heavily criticised for how ticket pricing was handled. Rather than pricing tickets at a flat rate, some shows experimented with “demand-led” or “dynamic” pricing, where the price adjusts in real-time based on demand a model used frequently in the airline and hotel industries.
The goal here was to keep more of the potential profit in the hands of artists and promoters, rather than resellers, but it sparked controversy. Fans were shocked to see prices jump from £75 to over £300 during the booking process. Was this truly a fairer model, or just a scalping workaround that priced out loyal fans from the start?
Dynamic pricing arguably removes the need for touts, if prices already reflect market demand, there’s no room for resale profit, but it also changes the spirit of how live events have traditionally been priced that makes events accessible, not necessarily as profitable.
Why Don’t Event Organisers Increase Their Baseline Price?
If demand is so high, why don’t organisers just price tickets closer to what people are willing to pay?
Economist Paul Krugman tackled this question in a 1999 paper, “Thinking Outside the Box Office.” He offered three main explanations, which still hold relevance today:
- Demand Uncertainty: Promoters can’t always predict how popular an event will be. Pricing conservatively ensures a sell-out and avoids the embarrassment (and loss) of empty seats.
- Access and Fairness: Many artists and venues want their events to be accessible to a wide range of fans, not just those with the deepest pockets. Affordable tickets mean greater inclusion.
- Different Business Models: Official sellers operate with long-term reputations and brand relationships in mind, while scalpers don’t. They’re short-term profiteers with lower costs, no taxes, and fewer rules to follow.
From this perspective, low ticket prices aren’t irrational, they’re strategic. They promote goodwill, maximise merchandise and concession sales, and build brand loyalty, but it also leaves a gap that scalpers can exploit.
UK Regulation: Where Do We Stand?
In the UK, ticket touting isn’t illegal, but it’s increasingly regulated. The 2015 Consumer Rights Act introduced transparency requirements for resale sites, such as disclosing seat numbers and original ticket prices. More recently, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has taken legal action against resale platforms for breaching consumer protection laws.
One of the more notable shifts came when platforms like Ticketmaster closed their own resale sites (GetMeIn and Seatwave) and launched a new fan-to-fan exchange at face value. Others, like Twickets, have long operated with resale caps in place.
Still, the problem hasn’t disappeared. While outright criminalisation of ticket reselling exists in some places (like Ontario, Canada), the UK has generally taken a softer regulatory approach, focusing on transparency and enforcement against unfair practices, rather than banning resale altogether.
Can the Market Solve This?
Many economists argue that secondary markets are simply a sign of efficient capitalism – goods go to those who value them most. From this view, scalpers aren’t villains, they’re market participants meeting demand.
Despite this, that view doesn’t sit well with most fans, especially when the scalpers’ actions directly restrict access and drive up prices. An efficient market, in this case, doesn’t necessarily mean a fair one.
A potential middle ground lies in improving the official resale process. If ticket holders who genuinely can’t attend could re-list their tickets at market price (via a regulated platform), and organisers took a share of the resale revenue, both parties could benefit. This model already exists in part, but isn’t widely adopted or promoted.
Another option is the use of digital ticketing tied to an identity, limiting transferability and thereby restricting scalping. Some festivals and sports events have begun implementing this, though it brings its own challenges in terms of privacy and technical issues.
My Personal Experience
I’ll admit I’ve been burned by touting before. Back in 2015, I tried to get tickets for the England vs Australia rugby match at Twickenham. Face value was £75. Within minutes, those same tickets were listed on resale sites for between £627 and £1,999. I was priced out, and I wasn’t alone.
That kind of markup doesn’t feel like market efficiency. It feels like profiteering. And it leaves a sour taste, not just because I missed the game, but because the experience of live sport, music, and culture should feel inclusive, not exclusive.
Can We Do Better?
The UK live events industry is worth billions and has cultural significance far beyond its financial value, but if genuine fans are consistently locked out in favour of those with faster bots or deeper wallets, trust in the system will erode.
Solving the problem of ticket touting isn’t easy. It’s tied up in economic theory, evolving technology, legal frameworks, and cultural expectations, but progress is possible.
With a combination of:
- smarter pricing strategies,
- stronger enforcement of resale transparency,
- improved fan-to-fan exchange tools,
- and possibly tighter controls on ticket transferability,
… we might just start to reclaim the live event experience for the people it was intended for: the fans, because after all, this is what it is all about.