The Hindu : Sport / Football : Fans lose out on tickets after agency hit by sting

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 20, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Sport

Sport - Football

Fans lose out on tickets after agency hit by sting

GENEVA: Hundreds of football fans have been left without tickets at the European Championship after paying premium prices to one of Europe’s biggest agencies.

Norwegian agency Euroteam said it fell victim to a sting by a company in Germany which failed to supply the 1,200 tickets it promised.

Euroteam’s office in Zurich was shut down by police only hours before the Italy-Romania match in the city last Friday when UEFA complained that fake and stolen tickets were being sold.

None were found and the office was reopened.

“It was a very uncomfortable situation for us,” Euroteam founder Baard Jensen said.

Jensen said fans left without tickets will get a full refund and compensation on their ticket, but not travel or hotel costs.

“Our customers have been extremely frustrated and some have gotten angry. Most of all, they have been very understanding for the situation,” he said.

Established player

Euroteam is an established player in the European sector of the “secondary ticketing” resale market for sports events and concerts, made popular in the United States by companies like StubHub.

Jensen said his agency’s customers ranged from football fanatics to businessmen entertaining corporate clients.

Fans attending the Germany-Poland match in Klagenfurt on June 8 — day two of Euro 2008 — were worst affected by the sting, having travelled to Austria before being told their tickets didn’t exist.

“Unfortunately, buyers for the first matches got the message too late,” Jensen said.

He said customers have been repaid the full sum of their ticket and would later get the same amount in compensation, to a maximum of $1,550 per person.

Jensen said his firm lost more than $775,000 in the failed German deal. It paid an average of more than $620 for each ticket. The face value for Euro 2008 match tickets ranged from $70 to $170 in the group stage; $124 to $465 for a semifinal; and $248 to $852 for the final.

“We have been doing this for a lot of years. It is the first time we have made a mistake of this size,” Jensen said.

UEFA imposed controls on the sale and distribution of tickets before the tournament and cancelled many of those issued to buyers who then invited offers at online auction sites.

UEFA spokeswoman Pascale Voegeli said her organisation wouldn’t comment on individual ticket sellers.

“We are observing all the cases and acting where we can,” she said. “Agencies are not allowed to resell tickets. And you are not allowed to sell your ticket to someone you do not know. That is clearly stated in the terms and conditions.”

But with capacity limited to 30,000 tickets at six of the eight Euro 2008 stadiums, a demand to find more by other means is inevitable.

“We have many other suppliers,” Jensen said. “We have been selling tens of thousands of tickets for this tournament.”

However, the firm’s profits have been dented by paying high prices at short notice to supply clients promised tickets for all the remaining games.

Jensen said he expected the image of the secondary ticketing industry would be damaged by events at Euro 2008.

“I know that the business can have a shady reputation. I am afraid that this will harm us,” he said. “We have been in the business for years and have tried to make a transparent and legitimate business. There is always risk. It did happen and all we can try to do is solve this the best way we can.” — AP

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport