AssetID: 55105780
Headline: UNCAPTIONED: Premier League Ticket Black Market Uncovered by BBC Investigation
Caption: Premier League ticket black market uncovered by BBC investigation. A BBC probe has revealed a vast black market selling thousands of Premier League tickets through overseas companies using memberships and software to buy at scale. Reselling football tickets is illegal in the UK, yet journalists bought tickets for four games last weekend — including the sold-out Manchester derby — and gained entry. Fans said they were sometimes sold invalid tickets, with prices often two to four times face value, and in one case exceeding £14,000. Experts warn many tickets advertised online may not even exist, with listings for Arsenal and Manchester City’s most exclusive hospitality seats. The Football Supporters’ Association said the findings show touting is “endemic”, shutting out long-term fans and undermining stadium safety rules. Clubs said they are cracking down, with Arsenal cancelling nearly 74,000 accounts and Everton working with police to stop touts. The Premier League’s list of more than 50 unauthorised sellers includes StubHub and Vivid Seats, while others operate abroad in Spain, Dubai, Germany and Switzerland. Ticombo, one of the firms named, defended itself as a “trusted resale platform”, rejecting allegations of wrongdoing and promoting secondary markets as consumer choice. Campaigners are urging new legislation to close loopholes that allow foreign-based websites to target UK fans, warning of growing risks to fairness and safety. Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT
Keywords: Sports,Premier League,ticket touting,black market,Arsenal,Manchester City,Everton,West Ham,StubHub,Vivid Seats,Ticombo,Tom Greatrex,Reg Walker,BBC Sport investigation
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