SU stops ticket trading

Warwick Students’ Union (SU) has prevented the trading of its event tickets between students.

The SU released a statement on its Facebook page saying: “Tickets CANNOT be ‘traded’ between you, since the ticket is assigned directly to the purchaser’s University card and, without that ticket appearing on your card at the door, you will NOT be admitted to the venue.”

This “stern message” came after an ‘SU Ticket Trading’ page was set up using branded SU logos despite the fact that it was not associated with the SU.

The SU also said that it had recently become aware of students selling tickets for double the price over Facebook.

Students have been told that the only way to resell or refund tickets is if they are put on a waiting list at the SUHQ reception after that particular event is sold out.

Many students on the SU Facebook page became angry over the statement, saying that there should be a ticket trading system and that people should be allowed to swap tickets.

Nick Swain, president of the SU, said: “Setting up a ticket trading system would be an appropriate way to help students – the issue with the fake page is that it was using unauthorised branding and logos which replicated the official SU Facebook page, which resulted in confusion over its legitimacy.

“However, the existence of this page indicates that there is a demand for it, so one may be created in the future.”

Students have been told that in the meantime, if similar fake pages are set up on Facebook for the purpose of trading, reselling or touting tickets, ticket purchase limits may be restricted to one per person, and those touting the tickets will be banned from the venue.

Sam Gower, second-year Physics student, told the Boar: “I basically agree with the SU that minimising ticket trading is in everyone’s best interest (except, obviously, those profiting from it) but I think something practical ought to be done about it if at all possible – I don’t think strongly-worded Facebook messages will dissuade people from buying and selling tickets to some of the most popular SU nights of the whole year.

“It’s probably far too late to do something about it this year, but there’s really no reason that the idea of putting on more events at the end of term three couldn’t be investigated for next year. That’s plenty of time to make arrangements and try and to make sure that demand would be high enough to make it worthwhile.”

Elline Demetriou, second-year law student, said: “I can’t understand why there isn’t an online version of selling back tickets to the SU via the website.

“If we can buy tickets on the website the easiest thing for everyone would be to trade them on the website either by selling back and getting a refund or trading between students.

“If the price tickets go for is the concern, I’m sure something can be set up for the price to be controlled in an online trading system.”