American Taylor Swift fan, Jacki Thrapp, made an unconventional decision this summer when she found it was actually cheaper to fly to Europe to see her idol perform live than to attend one of her US shows. With ticket prices for Swift’s Eras Tour skyrocketing to $2,500 on the resale market in the US, Jacki opted to travel to Sweden where she was able to see the singer twice for less than $200 per ticket.
The disparity in ticket prices between the US and Europe has raised concerns among fans, with many feeling that they are being priced out of seeing their favorite artists perform. In response to this issue, some European countries have implemented laws to prevent excessive pricing on the secondary market, with restrictions on resale prices in place in countries like Germany, Italy, Portugal, and the Republic of Ireland.
In the UK and the US, however, the secondary ticket market remains largely unregulated, leading to inflated prices and concerns about counterfeit tickets. Ticketing start-up Tixologi is working to address these issues using technology, including AI and blockchain, to prevent ticket scalping and ensure that only legitimate tickets are sold.
Meanwhile, UK ticketing company Seat Unique is using dynamic pricing and AI to monitor demand for tickets and prevent scalpers from profiting off inflated prices. The company’s founder, Robin Sherry, believes that these technological advancements will help keep tickets in the hands of fans and prevent them from falling into the hands of scalpers.
As the ticketing industry continues to evolve, with advances in AI and technology, fans like Jacki Thrapp are hopeful that a better way to access tickets to their favorite events will be on the horizon. With the help of innovative solutions like those offered by Tixologi and Seat Unique, the future of ticketing may become more fan-friendly and accessible for all.
