Ticket scalpers have set high mark-ups for tickets to the upcoming Rugby World Cup in Japan. Photo /Andrew Cornaga, www.Photosport.nz
Ticket scalpers have set high mark-ups for tickets to the upcoming Rugby World Cup in Japan. Photo /Andrew Cornaga, www.Photosport.nz
Ticket scalpers are seeking a 474 per cent mark-up for some of the best seats at Yokohama International Stadium for the Rugby World Cup final.
But as fans scramble to secure seats to what is billed as the world's third biggest sporting event, tournament officials have warned that tickets purchased"through unofficial means" will be invalid; and that those being offered online might actually not exist.
All Blacks fans will be hoping the men in black will be one of the two sides facing off in the November 2 tournament decider.
But those who are booking late to head to Japan for the cup and have missed out on supporters tours could have to dig deep to secure match tickets; including Premium seats for the final being resold for $17,550.
When they were initially released on to the market by tournament bosses the tickets had a price tag of $3054.
Prime tickets for the All Blacks' crunch opening pool game against the Springboks – the result which will probably decide which of the heavyweights wins Pool B – are also generating top dollar on Viagogo.
The tickets initially cost $536 but are now being sold for $2359; a whopping 340 per cent increase.
A spokesman for Rugby World Cup 2019 told the Herald on Sunday that any punters buying tickets from sites such as Switzerland-based Viagogo could be left empty-handed.
"Our ticketing terms and conditions clearly stipulate that tickets purchased through unofficial means will be invalid.
"No tickets have yet been delivered, so unauthorised third-party sites are selling tickets that they simply do not have.
"It would be absolutely heart-breaking to outlay the significant time and expense to get to Japan, and then to be denied entry due to an issue with tickets purchased through unofficial means."
The listing of seating locations on some resale sites would make it easy for tournament officials to identify tickets resold for inflated prices and make them invalid.
In the build-up to the World Cup, Japanese lawmakers also introduced legislation in a bid to combat the sale of unofficial tickets at inflated prices.
Individuals caught selling tickets in Japan now face fines of up to $13,439 or a prison term of up to a year.
The Rugby World Cup 2019 spokesman urged fans to buy only from "official" means; including direct from RWC or via a selection of approved tours.
"It protects fans from being let down and denied entry to the stadium," he said.
"It's just not worth the risk of being turned away from a match because of issues with tickets."
The High Court ruled there was no jurisdiction to grant an injunction because Viagogo had not been properly served. Photo / file
A Viagogo spokesman said for those who missed out on tickets, or had tickets they no longer wanted, the reselling site was "one of the only secure and reliable platforms to buy and sell tickets".
The spokesman said there was "no reason to believe" any tickets listed on Viagogo for the tournament were "fake".
"Customers can be confident that the tickets they have purchased on Viagogo are legitimate. When fans access Viagogo they are using a safe, secure and reliable platform that is protected by the Viagogo guarantee and supported by 24-hour customer service."
The spokesman said it was Viagogo's "view" that any fan who had bought a ticket had the "right to resell it using a safe and secure platform of their choosing".
"It is unreasonable and unfair to prevent fans from reselling their tickets if they can't make the event."
The spokesman added there was the "Viagogo guarantee" which meant the online site didn't pay the seller "until after the buyer has been able to enter the event".
"If there are any concerns, buyers can contact Viagogo and get support at any time of the day, from any location."
In New Zealand, the Commerce Commission is involved in an attempt to stop Viagogo making what it alleged were misleading claims about ticket scarcity, price representations and a ticket guarantee.
At an interim injunction hearing on February 5 the commission's lawyers said about 600 complaints had been made against Viagogo, making it the most complained-about merchant over an 18-month period.
The High Court ruled there was no jurisdiction to grant an injunction because Viagogo had not been properly served.
Viagogo described the decision as a "significant legal victory", while the commission has appealed the decision.
Court documents filed by the Commerce Commission also alleged Viagogo sold almost 1000 invalid tickets to All Blacks matches last year.
