Brief
Viagogo calls for open ticketing model after Raye’s bot‑filled sign‑ups
The resale platform argues that primary‑ticket bots are the root cause of the problem highlighted by pop star Raye’s overwhelmed registration process for her Royal Albert Hall show.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Resale site Viagogo has described pop singer Raye’s decision to manually verify ticket applications for her 23 October Royal Albert Hall concert as “absurd”, and is urging the UK government to adopt an “open distribution” ticketing model to tackle bot activity at the primary‑sale stage.
What happened
Raye’s team received 1.8 million registrations for a venue with only 5,000 seats, prompting the artist to hand‑pick “real fans” from the flood of entries. The move follows the artist’s public criticism that automated bots “overwhelmed” sign‑ups and generated “hundreds of thousands of fake registrations”.
What the reports add
According to the Independent, Viagogo told the Press Association that the need for manual sifting highlights a broken ticketing system where bots target tickets as soon as they appear on primary platforms. The company argues that the problem is not confined to the resale market and that primary sellers must share breach information with regulators.
What was said
“It is absurd that artists and their teams have to manually sift through hundreds of thousands of registrations to identify real fans,” a Viagogo spokesperson said to the Press Association. “Fans deserve a fair chance to access the events they love.” The spokesperson added, “Criticism of the resale market often frames bots as a secondary‑market problem. However, bot activity occurs on primary ticketing platforms. We need an open and interconnected ticketing market to tackle the problem at its source.”
How it came about
Raye’s complaint follows a series of high‑profile bot‑related ticketing issues, including the Department of Justice’s October 15 lawsuit against San Diego broker REPS & Co. for alleged bot‑driven resale of millions of tickets. Viagogo, which operates under the StubHub brand in the United States, has previously advocated for an airline‑style ticketing model that would allow multiple firms to sell tickets on the primary market, a proposal it says could increase competition, lower prices and curb automated buying.
Key facts
- Raye received 1.8 million registrations for a 5,000‑seat Royal Albert Hall concert. (independent.co.uk)
- Viagogo called the manual verification process "absurd" and urged government action. (independent.co.uk)
- Viagogo proposes an "open distribution" model allowing multiple firms to sell primary tickets. (independent.co.uk)
- The company supports UK anti‑bot legislation and calls for primary sellers to share breach data with regulators. (independent.co.uk)
