Barcelona City Council has signed an official declaration affirming its opposition to illegal ticket resale and backing the aims of anti-touting campaigners.
The council has officially outlined its stance in an institutional declaration that pays special attention to ‘speculative ticketing’. It is believed to be the first city in the world to publicly assert its opposition to unrestricted resale.
The declaration seeks to recognise the harm that illegal resale does to the creative industries and members of the public. It also expressly gives the City’s support for the Barcelona-based Face-value European Alliance for Ticketing (FEAT) and its work to ensure that citizens are not victimised by ticket resale speculation for musical events.
The institutional declaration was made by Francesc Xavier Marcé Carol, who is Barcelona’s Councillor for Culture and Creative Industries. A statement from FEAT noted that the declaration was supported by all political groups across the council.
“This speculative resale not only harms fans but also generates no added value – financial and/or cultural – for artists or the live entertainment sector,” said Marcé Carol.
FEAT seeks for-profit ticket resale ban
The Spanish city welcomes more than three million patrons to over a thousand concerts and live events each year at iconic venues such as Palau Sant Jordi and Parc del Fòrum.
FEAT’s main targets are to introduce European Union-wide legislation banning for-profit ticket resale and to demand greater transparency and buyer protection from secondary ticketing markets.
Neo Sala, FEAT’s founding director and chief executive of Doctor Music, said: “This declaration cements Barcelona as a city that supports and nurtures live entertainment, concerts and festivals. I am delighted that the council agrees with FEAT’s aims and objectives, and we firmly welcome their support in the fight against illegal ticket resale.”
Earlier this year, FC Barcelona, the five-time European champion, became the first sports club to join FEAT.
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