Premium tickets to next year’s sold-out Rolling Stones stadium concert in Adelaide have appeared online for nearly six times their original cost. ABC reports fans who missed out on tickets and still want to catch the Stones’ first Adelaide appearance in two decades, will have to fork out a hefty $3,000 to online scalpers.
No current laws restrict or prohibit ticket scalping in South Australia but South Australian Attorney-General John Rau says a proposed Major Events Bill, introduced to SA parliament earlier this year, could cap the re-sale of tickets to 10% above their initial value.
“The idea was in big events like that you could declare the event and that would protect the authorised offerers of merchandise and advertising from that sort of unauthorised, basically ripping-off,” he said.
The proposed legislation is in step with recent efforts from other state governments to crack down on the illegal practice. A ticket reselling bill was introduced into NSW State parliament a few weeks ago aimed at reducing ticket scalping, and Member for Western Victoria David O’Brien recently called for similar measures to be explored in Victoria. Independent Senator Nick Xenophon says he will move this week to set up a national Senate inquiry into ticket scalping.
When asked about how he would be assisting in the fight against scalping, tour promoter Michael Gudinski recently told Music Feeds that he hoped limits on the amount of tickets available and offers such as a lucky dip — “where 500 people will buy the cheapest tickets and some of those people will end up in some of the best seats” — was a “great initiative”.
Prior to news emerging of black market ticket prices, some fans were already balking at the original $510 price tag for top-tier seats to see the Rolling Stones at the newly-upgraded Adelaide Oval, as well as the $450,000 bill allotted to SA tax payers to bring the rockers to the state. But South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill defended the sum.
“To have the only full-scale stadium show in the Rolling Stones’ Australian tour is a coup for Adelaide,” he said. “Hosting the world’s greatest rock and roll band at Adelaide Oval will be a superb way to celebrate the completion of our world-class stadium. I understand that Mick Jagger is an avid cricket fan and is very excited to be playing the first concert at the new Adelaide Oval.”
The show is being touted as the biggest stage production the city has ever seen, with stage design including a massive 30+ metre ramp extending into the audience so fans can interact directly with the band.
Tickets for all of the other ’14 On Fire’ shows go on sale to the general public on Monday, 16th December, with a pre-sale via Frontier Touring kicking off today Monday, 9th December. Check out the official Rolling Stones ’14 On Fire’ Australian Tour Schedule here.
Can't wait to be back in Australia after all this time & what a buzz to be the first to play at the Adelaide Oval! #StonesAdelaide
— Mick Jagger (@MickJagger) November 20, 2013
