Zomato Live Takes Legal Action Against Viagogo Amid Diljit Dosanjh Concert Ticket Controversy

by  EVENTFAQS Bureau Entertainment | September 26, 2024 | News

Zomato Live Viagogo Diljit Dosanjh BookMyShow Coldplay

Fans of British band Coldplay and Indian Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh recently faced significant challenges while trying to purchase tickets for their upcoming concerts. On a recent Sunday, over 1.3 crore users logged onto BookMyShow in hopes of securing one of the 1.5 lakh tickets for Coldplay's concert in Mumbai, scheduled for January 2025. Unfortunately, the tickets sold out in less than an hour, leading to numerous complaints about long queues and website errors on social media.

This situation has been further complicated by the resale of tickets at inflated prices on secondary platforms. Reports indicated that a ticket originally priced at Rs 12,500 was being resold for as much as Rs 3.36 lakh, while standing tickets, initially priced at Rs 6,450, were going for up to Rs 50,000.

According to an article published in Business Standard, Zomato Live, the official ticket partner for Diljit Dosanjh’s upcoming concert, has taken action by issuing a legal notice to Viagogo, a ticket exchange and resale platform, for selling concert tickets at these inflated prices. Zomato Live has also filed cybercrime complaints against various secondary ticket-selling platforms for unauthorized sales.

In an Instagram post, BookMyShow stated, “We have filed a complaint with the police authorities.” They also clarified their lack of association with any ticket-selling or reselling platforms such as Viagogo or Gigsberg.

Viagogo, in an email response to Business Standard stated, “Tickets listed on Viagogo come from a range of sources including multinational event organisers, professional resellers, corporate ticket holders, season ticket holders, sponsors, and fans who simply can no longer attend an event.” This response underscores the ongoing challenges surrounding the ticket resale market, which can leave many fans feeling frustrated.

The issue of ticket scalping is complicated by the current legal framework in India. Ankur Bhasin, secretary of the Media and Entertainment Association of India, pointed out that scalping tickets is not technically illegal. He noted, “There are two ways to curtail it. One is the legislation, and the second is by tracking each and every ticket sale that is being done, which, of course, the platforms are not doing correctly because they don't want it to be tracked.”

A lawyer, who wished to remain anonymous, added that unauthorized ticket transfers could lead to tax evasion, stating, “If those tickets were transferred to another party without an official sale, it constitutes tax evasion.” He emphasized the importance of proper documentation and taxation in ticket resales, suggesting that this complexity is part of why ticket scalping persists in India.

The recent ticketing issues have highlighted the need for a more transparent and fair ticketing system. As the demand for live events continues to grow, it remains crucial for ticketing platforms, regulatory bodies, and fans to work together to address these challenges effectively. The situation serves as a reminder of the ongoing difficulties in the ticket resale market and the importance of ensuring that fans have access to genuine tickets at reasonable prices.