Federal Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig (SPD) has decided to take action against inflated prices on the secondary ticket market. This follows an open letter in which artists and event companies urged her to combat “scalping and fraud.” Hubig stated that looking at other countries shows that effective regulation of the secondary ticket market is also possible at the national level.
In an interview with the “Bild” newspaper, Hubig emphasized that not only music events are affected. Concerts, football matches, and other events should be accessible to everyone, not just those who can afford the high prices on the secondary market. She outlined initial measures, including limiting excessive price markups on resale.
Hubig made it clear that private resale of tickets must remain possible and should not be made unnecessarily complicated. “The goal is to curb commercial profiteering – in the interest of fans, artists, and athletes,” she said.
The open letter was published by the Association of Independent Music Creators Pro Musik and signed by numerous artists, including Toten Hosen and Ikkimel. The letter criticizes that commercial resellers buy tickets in large quantities, often using automated software, and then resell them at inflated prices. A ticket originally offered for 60 euros can be traded on platforms like Viagogo or eBay for 100, 200 euros, or more.
The artists and organizers emphasize that the high markups do not benefit the artists or the event industry but instead line the pockets of intermediaries who contribute nothing to culture. This development jeopardizes the production of new music and fair wages for artists.
