The Cure Says 2023 Tour Tickets Will Be Non-Transferable to Prevent Scalpin

The Cure Says 2023 Tour Tickets Will Be Non-Transferable to Prevent Scalpin

The Cure is taking a stand against ticket scalpers ahead of its 2023 Tour. The band has implemented a "verified fan" registration system which helps filter out buyers looking to resell tickets.

The group also announced that all ticket prices for its shows would remain fixed. Aside from a few Hollywood Bowl charity seats, there will be no "platinum" or "dynamically priced" tickets on this tour.

Tickets Will Be Non-Transferable to Prevent Scalpin

Recently, The Cure announced a series of 2023 North American tour dates but now have announced that tickets for their shows will not be transferable - an effort to reduce resale and keep prices at face value.

Scalping has become a major issue in concert ticketing, with criminals being able to grab tickets as they go on sale and resell them at exorbitant prices. While this practice has been around for some time, modern scalpers are more sophisticated, employing powerful bots that snag tickets quickly and then resell them at marked-up prices.

Ticketmaster has attempted to combat scalpers by restricting the number of tickets available for resale, but this strategy often makes it impossible for legitimate fans to purchase from these sites when they wish. The FTC has condemned this strategy as it restricts consumer choices and can create an impediment to competition.

Some artists have taken steps to avoid scalpers by making their tickets non-transferable, such as Pearl Jam and Dave Matthews Band. Furthermore, a bill currently pending in Texas would prohibit venues and ticket brokers from interfering with consumers' ability to resell their tickets for profit.

Limiting ticket transferability as a way to prevent scalping is an unnecessary measure. Instead, Logan and others advocate for a more comprehensive strategy that takes into account various elements.

First, he suggests outlawing ticket scalping completely. Making it illegal will create a level playing field and return to an environment in which legitimate fans compete for tickets with scalpers.

Erickson suggests a cap on the price of resale tickets. This could be agreed upon between artists, promoters and ticketing companies; it doesn't need to be passed as legislation but lawmakers could draft language confirming that such a limit does not violate monopoly laws.

Finally, he suggests restricting the number of tickets available for resale on exchanges not owned by Ticketmaster. This would help keep resale prices low, but could potentially harm the industry's profitability.

The band is taking a stand against resale ticketing

The Cure are taking proactive measures to prevent scalpers from scooping up tickets for their 2023 Tour. On Friday, The Cure shared a statement on social media informing fans that tickets for the Shows of a Lost World tour will no longer be transferable in an effort to "limit the secondary market."

Scalping is the practice of purchasing tickets to a popular event and reselling them at a higher price on the secondary market, often for more than their true worth. Be wary; this market can be filled with scams and fraudsters alike. Many scalpers utilize automated bots to purchase tickets ahead of a tour's sale and then resell them at higher profits once sales begin for that specific tour.

Scalping may not be beneficial to customers, but it doesn't always break antitrust laws. According to one economist, if concert promoters, artists, and ticketing companies agreed upon a cap on resale prices they could foster competition and prevent the secondary market from becoming oversaturated with tickets for popular shows.

But if no cap is put into place, there's the potential that the resale market could become dominated by major ticketing websites like Ticketmaster. At present, they control more than 90 percent of US concert ticket sales and boast the largest customer base - making them prime targets for ticket scalpers.

Unfortunately, the resale market has become out of control and can be challenging for consumers to navigate. Taylor Swift fans were recently shocked when a presale for her "Eras" Tour cost them up to $28,000 each.

The band's decision is an encouraging move to guarantee fans can see them at a reasonable cost. In addition to non-transferability, they will not be selling any platinum or dynamically priced tickets for their shows - which have often caused frustration among some fans due to the exorbitant markups associated with these tickets in recent years.

The Cure's announcement comes amid a season of high-profile tours facing exorbitant ticket resale prices, such as Springsteen's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction or Taylor Swift's Era tour. These events tend to be luxurious items that most people cannot afford; thus, it is no shock that scalping has become so popular.

The band is singling out Illinois for making it harder to curb scalpers

The Cure have had an illustrious career in music that spans over three decades. However, they've recently been facing tough times due to rising ticket prices and an unstable supply chain. Early this year, the band issued a statement outlining their accomplishments to date and plans for the future. In addition to releasing their crucial tour schedule, they took an unprecedented step by declaring tickets for their 2023 shows as non-transferable. Similarly, the band is encouraging fans to sign up for their coveted Ticketmaster Verified Fan email list. Furthermore, they have unveiled an eye-catching billboard at a prominent location near their home base of Manchester, UK, in order to promote their upcoming shows.

The band is encouraging fans to purchase tickets from face-value ticket exchanges

The Cure are taking a stand against ticket scalpers and touts after experiencing massive price gougings caused by dynamic pricing systems implemented by Ticketmaster on high-profile tours like Harry Styles' "Swift Eras" Tour and Bruce Springsteen's "World Tour 2023." Ticketmaster's dynamic pricing system, which increases prices based on demand, has caused panic among eager fans trying to attend concerts by various artists.

On Friday (March 10), The Cure announced that tickets for their 30 Shows of a Lost World Tour shows would be non-transferrable in an effort to prevent scalpers from purchasing and then reselling them at exorbitant prices. By making tickets non-transferable, The Cure hope to avoid the kinds of outrageous ticket prices experienced by other popular tours this summer.

The Cure's new ticket policy attempts to curb some of the more prevalent practices where fans have purchased expensive premium tickets in the past. However, they acknowledge that it will not be enough to stop scalpers from posting tickets for their upcoming tour on resale sites. They explain that some of these scalpers utilize "speculative ticketing," whereby they post tickets onto secondary ticket sites prior to an on-sale and then sell them on to customers when they discover they cannot be obtained through the official site of a tour.

It's an increasingly common practice among in-demand artists whose tickets are available on Ticketmaster and other resale platforms. Many fans purchase speculative tickets from scalpers, use them to enter the show before its official on-sale date, then resell them on a resale site for a profit.

The band is encouraging fans to purchase tickets from face-value ticket exchanges like Twickets and Cash or Trade. These ethical ticket resale websites help fans maximize their ticket experience while guarding them against being taken advantage of by scalpers.

Although The Cure's policy will only apply to their upcoming shows, it's an encouraging step in the right direction. Bands and venues need to take these measures in order for fans to afford attending their events, which have become more difficult and costly due to rising ticket prices.