Premier League: Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal black market tickets

Premier League: Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal black market tickets

A recent investigation by the BBC has uncovered a black market trading thousands of Premier League tickets. This illicit operation, orchestrated by companies located in various overseas locations, utilizes memberships and specialized software to acquire tickets in large quantities through clubs’ online ticket platforms. Despite the resale of tickets being illegal in the UK, the Premier League has identified these websites on an “unauthorised list.”

During the investigation, BBC Sport was able to easily purchase tickets on the black market for four games last weekend, including the sold-out Manchester derby. The tickets, bought for matches at Arsenal, Everton, and West Ham, were sold at two to four times their face value. While our journalists successfully gained entry into the games, some fans reported purchasing tickets that failed to grant them access, highlighting the risks associated with this underground ticket market.

The findings of this investigation have raised concerns about the prevalence of ticket touting in English football, with calls for clubs, the Premier League, and the government to take more decisive action against the black market. The scale of this operation not only makes it challenging for genuine supporters to obtain tickets at face value but also poses potential safety risks due to breaches in segregation rules. Responding to these concerns, clubs have stated that they are actively addressing this issue by canceling memberships and tickets linked to unauthorized ticket sellers.

The Premier League has identified over 50 websites as “unauthorised” ticket sellers, including popular platforms like Stubhub and Vivid Seats. Focusing on four of these websites, the investigation discovered tens of thousands of Premier League tickets listed for sale, with some tickets priced significantly above face value. Ticket security experts suggest that speculative listings may account for inflated ticket numbers, indicating the deceptive practices prevalent in the secondary ticket market. The Football Supporters’ Association has echoed concerns about the widespread nature of ticket touting, emphasizing the urgent need for concerted efforts to combat this detrimental trend

Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More