Ticketing industry gets new guarantees with launch of viagogo

A new secure way for people to trade tickets for live events in the UK and Europe has been launched by viagogo.com, the market leader in online secondary ticketing.

Tickets to sought-after concerts, events, shows and sports have always been elusive, but viagogo - the first company of its kind in the UK and Europe - has created a way for fans to buy and sell tickets with a 100% guarantee.

The company provides an easy and transparent way for people to trade their tickets to live events of all kinds. Users register for free and viagogo takes a commission for making sure that each completed transaction works seamlessly. When looking for a ticket, users can even compare the prices offered by a variety of sellers so they can make an informed decision to ensure that they’re getting exactly what they want.

viagogo can guarantee transactions thanks to a system it has developed which ensures that buyers receive genuine tickets and that sellers definitely get paid. This involves viagogo totally managing each transaction, including the payment and delivery of tickets.

viagogo is the brainchild of CEO Eric Baker, the founder and former President of StubHub.com, the leading online secondary ticketing company in the United States.

Baker brings this proven business model to Europe for the first time, supported by funding in excess of £10 million. The business is backed by an advisory board and investor base that include experienced UK online veterans such as Brent Hoberman, co-founder and former CEO of lastminute.com, Danny Rimer, General Partner, of leading European venture capital firm Index Ventures, and leading financier Lord Jacob Rothschild via his family’s interest.

The company plans to follow its UK and German launch by expanding across Europe, with a view to becoming the leading European business of its kind. Having built his business model in the US, Baker, who left StubHub.com in 2004, is determined to bring to Europe the same benefits of secondary ticketing that he delivered in the United States.

viagogo has already garnered significant attention and has been signed by Manchester United and Chelsea FC in landmark deals to become the official and exclusive secondary ticketing partner for both football clubs. These deals give viagogo access to and visibility amongst targeted ticket-buying audiences, and the company is in discussion with other leading Premiership, Scottish Premier League and high-profile European clubs with a view to sealing deals that will reinforce its credibility and its pioneering position in the ticketing industry. Whilst viagogo’s initial high-profile activity has focused on football, it is establishing itself as the online destination for people to exchange tickets for events of all kinds, from West End shows to European tours of the world’s biggest rock and pop acts.

Eric Baker, CEO of viagogo says: “Our business model has been a great success in the US and we see the same market potential here in the UK and Europe. We estimate that the secondary ticketing market in Europe is currently worth approximately £4-5 billion a year, of which the UK market accounts for in excess of one billion pounds annually; however, until our launch, this has traditionally been a murky market place. By guaranteeing every transaction and by providing the most secure exchange in which to trade tickets, we lead the way in bringing efficiency and transparency to this business and we are setting out our stall as the best place in which to buy and sell live event tickets.”