Despite rumours to the contrary,
We are allowing the sale of tickets because we believe that people can make up their own minds about what they buy and sell. The reselling of charity concert tickets is not illegal under English law and eBay believes it is a fundamental right for someone to be able to sell something that is theirs whether they paid for it or won it in a competition.
Update
Under pressure from their customers and “Sir” Bob Geldof, eBay have u-turned. Here’s their new statement:
Today you have made it very clear to us that our previous decision to allow the sale of LIVE 8 tickets on eBay.co.uk was not one that the vast majority of you agreed with. As a result of this clear signal from the Community we have decided to prohibit the resale of LIVE 8 tickets on the site.
Although the resale of tickets is not illegal, we think that this is absolutely the right thing to do. We have listened to the views you expressed on the discussion boards and in the many emails you have sent to us. We shall be working over the next few hours to remove all LIVE 8 ticket listings from the site.
According to the Guardian:
Geldof, Midge Ure and Harvey Goldsmith yesterday called for a worldwide boycott of the internet auction site and consulted lawyers over possible high court action to ban ticket sales on the web. Trading standards officials also warned that some tickets could be fakes.
Update the second
See Chris Applegate and Mathaba (sorry, there are popups).
That statement was made yesterday.
It was on the seven o’clock news that they’ve taken the decision to withdraw, and
have made another statement.
Yeah, just changed that now as I had no internet access last night. Don’t things change quickly 🙂
makes me feel slightly nauseous, actually. How much did people actually pay for these tickets?
2m texts, at £1.50 a pop, for 75000 tickets. That’s an average of £40 per ticket that the British public have donated to charity already.
There will be people out there who have only latterly realised how much extra cost they’ve rung up as a result of this.
At least the odds of winning weren’t too bad – about 1 in 27?
I suppose, when you look at it that way, it’s better than the Lotto.
[Edited to remove advert for Live8 tickets. – Will]
Think!! If bob sold the 50,000 tickets at £20, he would make 1 million pounds, and how would he select who went, instead it became a lottery at £1.50.
• 8 Million people texted in, so bob made
• 12 MILLION pounds
So, therefore everyone who got a ticket, cost them a minimum of £1.50 if not more.
So they Bought the ticket and as such own it, in a free market it is only right that there be a choice to sell them if you cannot go, and are in financial hardship.
If you disagree, think about just how much you have done to prevent mass genocide, and massacre across the world. Who perpetrates these awful acts, or who fuels the supply of weapons and skills.
Who takes for granted the shirts on there back, and money in their pockets, access to clean water.
Think – are all the food sellers on the day giving all their profits to Live8?? What about all the sellers selling drinks at stupid prices?? What about the t shirt and memorabilia sellers?? and what about all the people selling live8 wristbands on ebay?? or the stewards selling their work t shirts??
If you feel so passionate truly do something worthwhile.
Please and pressure the G8 countries, or the US on the Kyoto agreement on climate change.
Please.
[Edited to remove advert for Live8 tickets. Oh, that was the whole thing. – Will]
I have two Live 8 tickets for Edinburgh that I would love to swap for one/two tickets in Hyde Park. I would love to go up to Edinburgh but I can’t get a babysitter and the gig doesn’t allow kids under 14! D’oh. chris@chrisprice.net
[Edited to remove advert for Live8 tickets. Sigh. – Will]