StubHub Signs Partnership On Ticket Reselling With London's O2 Arena

StubHub "has signed a partnership" with London's O2 concert and sporting venue that "shows how ticket reselling websites are pushing to overcome legal challenges and vocal opposition from sports bodies and concert promoters," according to Duncan Robinson of the FINANCIAL TIMES. StubHub's deal "is the most high-profile example of a strategy being pursued by the ticket reselling websites." The partnership will include marketing across the venue and full barcode integration between the O2 and StubHub, "vastly reducing the chances of a fan being sold a fake ticket when they buy in the secondary market." While reselling tickets is legal, it often "goes against the terms and conditions of events." Fans can resell tickets for events on websites such as Viagogo and Seatwave -- the main U.K. rivals of StubHub -- at any price they see fit, often "pushing prices for sold out events well above their initial cost." Some sports governing bodies "have taken legal action against ticket reselling websites" (FT, 6/2).