More than 70 per cent of concert-goers would attend more live events if purchasing tickets online felt more secure, according to a new study by open-source blockchain ticketing platform Aventus.

The research found that nearly two thirds of respondents felt worried about buying counterfeit tickets or getting scammed. Around 12 per cent of those had actually purchased a concert ticket that turned out to be a scam.

Of respondents who fell victim to scams, 54 per cent said it affected their perception of the artist negatively, despite the fact that artists rarely have any control over ticket prices and have zero control over concert attendees getting scammed.

“Music fans are being deterred from attending their favourite shows because of unfair ticketing practices,” said Annika Monari, co-founder of Aventus. “Scalping, scams, extra fees and massive markups on secondary marketplaces cause consumers to be wary when purchasing tickets.

“It is time to embrace new technology to give organisers, venues and artists the tools to take control over their inventory and build greater trust with their customer base. At Aventus, we are actively working with the ticketing industry to create a fairer, more secure blockchain ticketing ecosystem.”

Secondary ticketing sites, such as Viagogo, StubHub, or Craigslist, concern consumers in particular, with an overwhelming 80 per cent of respondents saying they would be more likely to purchase a concert ticket if they could avoid using secondary marketplaces.

“We possess the tools and technology to change the event ticketing industry for the better,” added Alan Vey, co-founder of Aventus, “Now we must work together to implement it – for the benefit of ticketing agencies, venues, artists and consumers alike.”

Image: Pxhere