Wagga live music venues hit by scalpers as Viagogo reseller site expands to region

Wagga Civic Theatre has warned patrons not to be "fooled" by online ticket sites as scalpers demand prices up to $100 higher than the official box office.

In response, some regional venues have already changed how they offer tickets.

Wagga's live entertainment venues are trying to prevent customers from buying high-priced and potentially invalidated tickets from online resellers.

International websites like Viagogo have in the past few years targeted major musical acts and sporting events in Australia but have now started offering tickets to events in Wagga

Wagga City Council's Civic Theatre manager Carissa Campbell said the venue had "only started to have an issue with ticket resellers in the last couple of weeks".

"The shows affected are popular which may be why they have been targeted," she said.

Websites like Viagogo claim to offer a marketplace for fans to buy tickets for sold-out events, but have become notorious for high prices and unreliable sellers.

A search of the Viagogo site by The Daily Advertiser revealed tickets for upcoming opera shows by Marina Prior and David Hobson being offered for about $162 before booking fees.

The original ticket price at Wagga Civic Theatre was $69.95.

"The Wagga Civic Theatre is the only authorised ticket seller for events at the Wagga Civic Theatre," Ms Campbell said.

"If a show is sold out then please give us a call and get on the waiting list.

"We take this issue very seriously and we encourage anyone who has any concerns about these sites to give the box office a call."

Following thousands of complaints about hidden fees and bogus tickets, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is pursuing Viagogo for significant fines.

A federal court found the Switzerland-based company failed to disclose fees of up to 28 per cent. Tickets purchased via online resellers can also be declared void by their original provider for breaking the terms of sale.

Viagogo was also offering tickets to the 'Crusty Demons' motorbike stunt show that will open at Wagga's Robertson Oval in November. Viagogo's price of $189 before booking fee was at least $45 more expensive than the official Wagga show ticket seller, Oztix.

Ms Campbell said the council had alerted the Crusty Demons to the ticket listings.

Wagga Birdhouse Bar owner Scott Pearce said he was aware that Viagogo was listing musical events at his venue such as the 'Tijuana Cartel'.

"We haven't had anybody turn up with dodgy tickets but I have heard that happened to some people at Rock at the Races," he said.

"People need to be educated that Viagogo is not an authorised ticket seller.

"It seems to be out of our jurisdiction and there's not much that can be done to combat it and it doesn't seem to be going away."

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