PRESS RELEASE: “FRENCH TICKET BROKERS CREATE A UNION”
Saint-Cyr-l’Ecole, FRA (Syndicat National des Indépendants de la Billetterie) May 27, 2010 – The secondary ticket market is growing fast in Europe. It has been going on for years but is often criticized and regarded as “black market”, simply because the public opinion knows too little about this business and the fact that it can be legitimate. Hence the creation of a union by French ticket brokers which will represent and protect the individual and collective interests of its members (i.e registered entrepreneurs and companies from France or abroad, dealing in the secondary market).
The secondary market in France is undergoing specific issues. First because France is one of the first, if not the first, European country to have created a Ministry of Culture (Ministère de la Culture) back in 1959. Several other countries have followed suit since. Therefore the links between the state and cultural field is narrow, and there is a strong use of subsidies.
Second because France still has a law dating back to 1919 (“loi du 27 juin 1919”) which allegedly makes it a criminal offence to resale tickets, for subsidized events at least. However this law was passed at a time when communication and tourism were almost inexistent, making it completely obsolete now. Nevertheless, it is still used by many promoters and organizers to try and prevent registered brokers from running legitimate companies.
In addition to these specificities, French brokers have to face the same issues as brokers in other countries: cancellation of tickets, criticism from promoters, inaccurate or even unfair reports in the media, etc.
In spite of these practices, the founding members of SNIB have shown, through various actions, that dealing in the secondary market is a legitimate business and are now aiming at attracting more members from France and abroad, to strengthen our activity. We are willing to help and inform ticket brokers or spectators from North America who need tickets for events in France or Europe, or would like to operate directly in our country.
Feel free to contact us for any further information.
CONTACT DETAILS :
Syndicat National des Indépendants de la Billetterie (SNIB)
Mail : 66 avenue Pierre Curie – 78210 Saint-Cyr-l’Ecole – France
Email : [email protected]
Web : www.syndicat-billetterie.org