Fans cautioned about buying World Cup tickets from unauthorized websites |
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Tue, 09 May 2006 13:15
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LONDON - With the World Cup of football less than a month away, the clamor for the coveted tickets is bound to get hotter. But authorities are cautioning fans against buying tickets from unauthorized websites, which are ending up charging three times the face value of the tickets, according to a study by G4S Security Services.
The study found that one ticket for an England group game sold for more than 20 times its value on the Internet. On an average, tickets are selling for more than 327 percent of the original price set by the governing body, FIFA, says the study. "FIFA has implemented a rigorous identification system for the World Cup finals, so supporters purchasing tickets from touts could face severe disappointment," said Douglas Greenwell, marketing director at G4S. "If the ticketholder's details do not match those of the purchaser they will be refused entry to the stadium."
The firm said that a ticket to the final cost £970 on average an increase of 277 percent above the original value. A couple of tickets for the game between England and Trinidad & Tobago at the Frankenstadion in Nuremberg went for £1500, which is 2307 percent above their face value. The study said that in some cases touts were selling tickets for matches that are not even scheduled in the World Cup!
"Buying tickets from unauthorized websites can lead to an increase in fraud, criminal activity and increases the safety and security risks at events to themselves and other members of the public," Greenwell said. “Ultimately it is in the consumers’ interest to purchase their tickets from authorized outlets; this ensures they are paying the correct price and that the tickets actually exist."
Tickets fro the semi-finals of the greatest show on Earth were going at 662 percent above their face value, while those for knockout games were selling for 347 percent above their selling price, the firm said. "Supporters purchasing tickets from unauthorized sources could be wasting significant sums of money," Greenwell concluded.
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