Last week, key StubHub leaders from across the business went to Washington DC for the first ever StubHub Fly-In. They spent an entire day in meetings with relevant politicians to talk to them about StubHub, the ticketing industry and some key policy issues, which affect fans of live events.
The StubHub team met with policy makers from both sides of the aisle and from both chambers – the Senate and House of Representatives. They spoke about StubHub’s business model, international expansion, issues related to BOTs and the lack of transparency in the primary industry.
Most importantly, they raised the issue of white label marketing schemes fuelled by other ticket resale marketplaces. Such programs engage in deceptive practices by enabling third-party websites to manipulate web search results, mislead consumers into thinking that they are purchasing from the official box office or team website, and conceal high service fees. Buyers often don’t realize they’ve been misled until after they’ve purchased tickets. The StubHub team raised this significant issue with legislators in DC and are gathering further support as we continue to find ways to fight against these anti-consumer and anti-competitive practices. The StubHub Concourse website will continue to circulate information about white label programs so check the site in the next few days for a more in-depth look at this issue.
If you would like catch more pictures and social media content from StubHub’s day on Capitol Hill, just search the hashtag #StubHubinDC. In addition, if you aren’t already, make sure to follow StubHub Concourse on Twitter and Facebook to stay up-to-date on all of the legislative issues affecting fans today.