BBC Cracks Down On Ticket Companies Reselling Marked Up SPOTY Tickets

The BBC has "vowed to clamp down" on the companies that are "reselling tickets to this year’s Sports Personality of the Year show at up to 12 times their face value," according to David Kent of the London DAILY MAIL. Tickets went on sale at 9am London time on Tuesday for the Dec.16 show at £50 ($80.5) apiece, but "huge demand meant they sold out within half an hour." The BBC "would not reveal how many tickets were sold for the event at the 15,000-capacity ExCeL centre." However, fans "were left stunned and angry when tickets appeared for sale elsewhere, with ticket marketplace viagogo offering seats at prices ranging from £99 ($159) to £599 ($965)." Bids on eBay "reached £510 ($821) for four tickets." The BBC insisted that "it would take legal action against any company breaching its strict guidelines on the sale of tickets that do not come from one of its authorised outlets" (DAILY MAIL, 10/30).