Nia Griffith MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Wales, has attacked the Tories for their broken promise on dealing with the secondary ticketing market. With the Rugby’s 6 Nations having just begun, tickets for Welsh matches are being sold on secondary ticketing markets for over £4,400 a pair, a 1822% mark up. This, despite the UK Government’s assurances that there isn’t a problem in the secondary ticketing market and action doesn’t need to be taken.
Nia Griffith, Shadow Welsh Secretary said:
“Like the legions of dedicated fans right across Wales I’ll be behind the Welsh team from the moment the first whistle sounds to when the Six Nations cup is finally raised in victory. The atmosphere on match day in towns and villages up and down the country is legendary, an experience to treasure, but far too many people are excluded by the ridiculous cost of tickets on the secondary market.
“Rugby is part of our heritage, part of our social fabric. It unites our communities and our country and has always been inclusive. I welcome the work that the WRU is already doing to keep the cost of secondary ticketing down, but with ticket costs exceeding £4400 for some Six Nations fixtures, the UK Government has to step up and stop ordinary fans being priced out of our national sport.”
Marie Eagle MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, responding to the revelation that a pair of tickets for a 6 Nations match are being sold for over £4,400, said:
“The Tory UK Government is letting down rugby fans. They promised to protect rugby from unfair ticket touting, but with the 6 Nations beginning it is clear that fans are being ripped off and that Ministers are doing nothing about it.
“London 2012 showed how major international sports events can take place in the UK and have their tickets protected from touts. Tory Ministers should have used that model for other major tournaments, like the 6 Nations.”