CMA and ASA probe Chelsea-linked Vivid Seats over ticket touting

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Chelsea chair and co-owner Todd Boehly is involved with Vivid Seats, the subject of complaints to the CMA and ASA
Chelsea chair and co-owner Todd Boehly is involved with Vivid Seats, the subject of complaints to the CMA and ASA

Consumer group FanFair Alliance has reported Vivid Seats, a company part-owned by Chelsea chair Todd Boehly, to watchdogs for alleged illegal ticket touting.

Chelsea fans have described the involvement of Boehly, the highest-profile member of the club’s US ownership group, as a “breach of trust” after it emerged this week.

Vivid Seats offers tickets to Chelsea and Premier League clubs on its resale platform, often at a high mark-up – a criminal offence in football following the Hillsborough disaster in 1989.

“Given the ongoing controversies around online ticket touting, I’m not surprised that so many football fans are unhappy about the links between Chelsea’s Todd Boehly and Vivid Seats,” Adam Webb, campaign manager of FanFair Alliance, told Morning Wire.

“The FanFair campaign shares their concerns, and we have already sent multiple complaints to the Competition & Markets Authority and the Advertising Standards Authority about how this platform is marketing and reselling tickets for British music events. 

“I would like to publicly urge both the CMA and the ASA to act upon those complaints and ensure Vivid Seats complies with UK consumer law.”

Tickets listed on Vivid Seats for £19k

Vivid Seats sells the majority of its tickets to foreign-based fans, sometimes for thousands of pounds. The company also takes a 10 per cent commission and service fee.

The Football Supporters’ Association told Morning Wire: “The FSA opposes resellers who place themselves between club and fan with the sole intention of making money—we’d encourage clubs to use their in-house systems. Supporters should have access to tickets at a fair price.

“Ticket ‘resellers’ who wedge themselves between club and fan with the sole intention of gouging supporters and making money must be targeted by the authorities.”

Like other Premier League clubs, Chelsea have condemned the practice and promised sanctions for anyone involved. This includes removing season tickets or preventing individuals from attending games, with the possibility of criminal sanctions.

Chelsea have said that tickets sold for more than face value or bought from a tout, an unauthorised online ticket agency, or a reselling platform, will be invalid and the buyers could be refused entry or ejected from the stadium.

Though Vivid Seats states on its website that any events for which it sells tickets must take place in the US and be sold to US residents, Premier League tickets have appeared on the platform.

Tickets for Liverpool’s final game of the season, in which they could clinch the title, are listed for between £1,765 and £19,369.

Chelsea and Vivid Seats announced a partnership in 2023 during their preseason tour to the US.

Chelsea’s head of global partnerships, John Rogers, said at the time: “We are pleased to join with a company committed to becoming the ultimate partner for connecting fans to the live events, teams and artists they love.”

Boehly links to Vivid Seats were revealed this week by the Telegraph and have caused disillusionment, says the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust.

“Vivid Seats lists hundreds of Chelsea FC General Admission tickets at significantly inflated prices,” the CST said.

“As the Chelsea FC website does not sell these tickets, they are considered by the club to be ‘illegal sales.’

“Within the recent CST ticket touting survey, many CST members suggested that Mr Boehly’s connection with Vivid Seats is a ‘breach of trust’ and could be a conflict of interest.

“These recent reports are very disappointing, and it is within Mr Boehly’s best interests to investigate these issues and address supporters’ concerns – we do not believe it is appropriate for any Chelsea tickets or wider Premier League tickets to be listed on the Vivid Seats website.”

Ticket touting and resale has hit the headlines in recent months. Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour was engulfed by such controversy, specifically around Ticketmaster, that the issue went to the US Senate. 

In the UK, meanwhile, the consumer protection agency is investigating concerns regarding the sale of Oasis tickets by Ticketmaster, including their so-called dynamic pricing.

Chief Constable Mark Roberts, the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s lead for football policing, said: “Ticket touting is a criminal offence, and those who are caught exploiting genuine fans through these means will face action

“We support any proposals made to prevent ticket touting and will continue to work in partnership with clubs and leagues to clamp down on these offences.”