Analysis | ‘Ticket-touting on steroids’ – UK body surprised Hong Kong Sevens is using Viagogo as online reseller for tickets

FanFair Alliance says Viagogo has a poor reputation in UK and was last year dumped by the Scottish Rugby Union for exploiting fans

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Fans in full voice during the Hong Kong Sevens. Photo: Reuters

Published: 11:29am, 27 Feb 2018Updated: 11:41am, 28 Feb 2018

A UK anti-touting body said it was “surprised” Hong Kong Sevens organisers would partner online secondary market ticket sellers Viagogo, given they were dumped as a sponsor by the Scottish Rugby Union last year.

Adam Webb, spokesman for FanFair Alliance, said Viagogo had a poor reputation in the UK after authorities raided its London offices last November as part of an investigation into possible breaches of consumer law. Viagogo maintains it has not broken any laws in the UK.

“I'm surprised anyone would want to partner them,” Webb told the Post. “The brand has so much negative publicity because they rip people off and I’m surprised that people would want to partner them. The way they distort prices on the market, it’s ticket-touting on steroids.”

South Stand fans on day three of the Sevens in 2017. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Viagogo’s UK site was reported to be selling tickets for last weekend’s Six Nations Calcutta Cup rugby match at Murrayfield between Scotland and England at up to 10 times the highest face value sold by the SRU.