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'It's about fair access' - Aviva Stadium bans ticket touting from midnight

All matches and events which take place in the Aviva will be protected
Jack Quann
Jack Quann

20.17 27 Oct 2021


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'It's about fair access' - Avi...

'It's about fair access' - Aviva Stadium bans ticket touting from midnight

Jack Quann
Jack Quann

20.17 27 Oct 2021


Share this article


A former TD, who first introduced legislation to ban ticket touring, says it is about giving fans fair access to events.

It comes as Dublin's Aviva Stadium is to become a designated venue under ticket touting law from midnight.

This means tickets for events there cannot be legally re-sold for above face value.

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The stadium applied for venue designation and a letter was issued designating the venue with effect from Thursday.

This means all matches and events which take place in the Aviva will be protected under the anti-ticket tout legislation - including the upcoming Ireland v Portugal match on November 11th.

It follows tickets for the sold out international emerging on re-sale websites for multiple times the original cost.

Former TD for Dublin Noel Rock designed the law.

He earlier told Henry McKean for The Hard Shoulder that this is about being fair.

"The reason I put together legislation in the first place in 2017 was to ensure that football fans, sports fans, music fans could get fair access to a venue at a fair price.

"Now the legislation is implemented we're seeing that still isn't happening.

"There's still people out there who are determined to try and make a quick buck, and try and make it on the back of real fans.

"And that isn't right".

He says the FAI should have sought designated status before now.

"The game is now sold out obviously - but what you'll find among those who intended to re-sell them in a few days, they won't be able to re-sell them legally above face value once it becomes a designated event.

"As of today the FAI have finally, belatedly applied for designated event status.

"So in about two or three days' time, it will be a designated event.

"And from there, the people who are holding the tickets will be legally obliged to sell them at - or indeed below - face value".

But he added that while this was his legislation, it has been amended several times.

"If you're saying 'It's my baby', my baby is wearing ugly clothes right now.

"The reality of it is that while we drafted this legislation initially, and it didn't have this designated event function within it, it was amended within the civil service for various reasons.

"And accordingly that amendment meant that designated events had to self-designate themselves.

"That hasn't happened in time in this case, that's a great pity and it's really unfortunate for fans".

'It's about fair access' - Aviva Stadium bans ticket touting from midnight

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Earlier this year, head of government affairs with ticket re-selling website Viagogo claimed the new law could actually hurt consumer protection.

Frankie Mulqueen told Newstalk: "What happens if you remove someone like us, and remove our ability to make a profit, to pay our staff, to invest in technology, to expand, to increase choice for consumer.

"We return to the old days of the wild, wild west where you've people standing outside venues, where you've unregulated markets where - in the age of PDF ticketing - you can print 10, 20 copies, sell them all off in one go and there's no recourse.

"There's no step for you to be able to recoup your money and you're the one standing outside the venue with a false ticket and no protection.

"What this bill do is remove consumer protection."

Main image: The Aviva Stadium at Lansdowne Road, Dublin is seen in January 2020. Picture by: Sir Anto / Alamy Stock Photo

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