'Scalped' U2 tickets could be worthless

U2 fans who have spent hundreds of dollars on blackmarket concert tickets could be refused entry to the St Patrick's Day gig, promoters are warning.

Thousands of dollars have changed hands over online auction site Trade Me since tickets to the first U2 concert in New Zealand in 12 years sold out on Monday morning.

Although buying and selling tickets for profit is not illegal in New Zealand, it is a condition of sale imposed by U2 management that tickets cannot be on-sold.

"We will cancel the ticket and prevent people coming in if we identify the tickets," said tour manager Michael Coppel.

However, he admitted that was difficult. Tickets have barcodes and serial numbers, and the event has strict access controls - but learning which have been on internet auctions is a tricky process.

Mr Coppel said he was speaking to Trade Me and Ebay to get their support and warn them that they were "facilitating an illegal breach of the conditions of sale".

Trade Me business manager Mike O'Donnoll argues that "scalping" is not illegal in New Zealand and members of the website had voted to allow concert and sporting event tickets to be sold.

Trade Me was busy yesterday removing bogus bids on U2 tickets from angry fans who took exception to the scalpers. Frequent offers of $5000 and $10,000 hindered several auctions.

But despite the backlash from some corners, there was a brisk trade. Pairs of general admission tickets worth $99 each were selling at between $670 and $850, while single tickets were going for up to $600.

Mr Coppel urged fans to wait and buy tickets for the second show, on March 18, which go on sale this Monday at 9am.

He dismissed suggestions that the huge demand and 90-minute sell-out was partly created by low-price tickets. New Zealand tickets were cheaper than many other countries on the Vertigo tour but "we should not be pushing up prices just because the demand is there".

Meanwhile, Ticketmaster will be handling the sale of tickets for the second concert.

Despite many people failing to get through on the phones or online for the first gig, marketing manager Chris Forbes said none of the systems failed.

"We sold all the tickets in 90 minutes. How can any system have failed?"

Mr Forbes was unable to say how many tickets were sold through each medium, but a "large percentage" was online.

The company is bracing itself for another rush next Monday morning. Tickets are available online at www.ticketmaster.co.nz (see link below), by phone at 0800 111-999 and at selected NZ Post shops, and Real Groovy and Rebel Sport outlets.