Tottenham’s deal with Stub Hub and the unrest amongst fans rumbles ever onward. The Stop Stub Hub online petition has received a little under 3000 signatures in support. It’s not the hope that’s stifles, it’s the apathy.
I can understand the lack of interest. You can’t make a private company stop making money, providing they aren’t breaking the law. You can ask them, but that has to be the very definition of futility.
The only way to stop a business doing something businesslike, is to make that “something” unprofitable. So if you truly wish to stop Stub Hub flogging season ticket seats above face value, then you must stop encouraging them being advertised by not buying them.
Here’s some new information on the matter.
The evidence provided shows that 91% of tickets are being sold above face value. At the two category A games included in the data, Chelsea and West Ham United, tickets were sold at an average price of 135% and 53% above face value respectively.
These figures show that StubHub and Tottenham Hotspur Football Club (THFC) are misguided to continue insisting that that the high prices shown on the StubHub platform do not equate to actual sales.
We also believe the Club should be concerned at the fact that 19%, almost one-fifth, of season ticket holders have not been able to make one or more of the opening six league games of the season.
~ The Football Supporters Federation
Martin Cloake eloquently homes in on THFC’s stand on the matter.
One of the most distasteful aspects of the deal is that, while the club attempts to convince us that the normal laws of supply and demand will not apply, it simultaneously seeks to distance itself from them when they do.
In answer to question 25 of the Q&A session arranged between the club and, er, itself on its website, the club says: “While we understand that some fans might be frustrated to find prices higher than they hoped, it is the Season Ticket Member’s prerogative to list their seats at whatever price they choose.”
This is the National Rifle Association defence – ‘we just supply the guns, if people choose to shoot each other with them, it’s nothing to do with us’.
~ Martin Cloake
My gut feeling is that the whole deal is more sinister than it looks, or should I say, even more sinister than it is.
I find it impossible to believe that any business would fail to show an interest in what tickets eventually changed hands for. Not knowing such information would keep any self respecting capitalist pig dog awake at night!
Knowing that a tout on the street sells a ticket with a face value of £50, for say £200 in a one off sale, is pretty close to being a worthless piece of information. But if the sample group was as high as great as nearly 20% of repeat customers, then suddenly your capitalist pig dog goes from insomnia …to feeling like he’s just embarked upon an extended crystal meth binge. Suddenly, you have an accurate guide as to what the market might bear.
Levy & Co have just been revealed as trying to palm off Capoue for £12M, £3M more than they paid for him, despite the fact he’s only made 8 appearances. Whilst that’s amusing to read, don’t think for a moment that the same business brain isn’t at work in respect to ticket pricing.
I’m looking for pound notes, loose change, bad cheques, anything, give me some money…
~ Spinal Tap
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