posted on June 14, 2005 08:57:45 AM newGeldof condemns sale of Live 8 tickets on eBay
By Kate Holton
1 hour, 34 minutes ago
LONDON (Reuters) - Live 8 organizer Bob Geldof has condemned as "sick profiteering" the sale of free charity concert tickets on auction Web site eBay.
Tickets to the star-studded London show, which aims to pressure world leaders into fighting poverty, were given away to the winners of a text lottery. But they immediately started appearing on eBay for hundreds of pounds.
Geldof branded the site an "electronic pimp" and called for a worldwide boycott.
"I am sick with this," Geldof said in a statement. "What eBay are doing is profiteering on the backs of the impoverished.
"The people who are selling it are wretches. But far worse is the corporate culture which capitalizes on people's misery."
Geldof organized the July 2nd concert 20 years after his Live Aid sensation which raised money to help the starving in Ethiopia.
Rather than raise money, the 2005 concert aims to raise the profile of African poverty and influence leaders of the G8 group of industrialized nations who meet in Scotland in July.
Four other concerts will be held around the world on the same day.
eBay said in a statement they were selling the tickets because "we live in a free market where people can make up their own minds," but said they would donate at least the equivalent of the fees they raised through the sale of Live 8 tickets.
Geldof rejected this offer, saying instead he was appealing to their "sense of decency to stop this disgusting greed."
eBay said the reselling of charity tickets was not illegal under British law.
"A ticket to the Live 8 concert is no different from a prize won in a raffle ... and what the winner chooses to do with it is up to them," it added.
Over two million text messages were sent by people hoping to get tickets in the draw and winners were notified on Monday. Pairs of tickets were being offered for several hundred pounds on Tuesday on the auction site.
Performers for the London concert include U2, Paul McCartney, Coldplay, Madonna and REM.
posted on June 14, 2005 10:18:22 AM new
I guess I'm too much of a capitalist - I really don't understand the outrage. The people who won the tickets would rather have the money than go to the concert.
posted on June 14, 2005 10:40:53 AM new
I agree with eBay's response that we live in a free market where people can make up their own minds and reselling the tickets is not illegal under British law.
I understand Geldof's dedication to this cause but boycotts never seem to work too well...... especially when it comes to ebay as most sellers are there just to compete and make the most money they can.
posted on June 14, 2005 10:46:07 AM new
He could have just told the winners they had to pick up their tickets at the concert and have a valid ID. Massive will-call lines.
posted on June 14, 2005 12:32:48 PM new
Most surprising is the idea that someone in the entertainment/concert production business had no idea that people might scalp tickets (whether free or purchased).
posted on June 14, 2005 12:41:27 PM new
Just stupid.
But then, Geldof is an idiot anyway. He's actually BEEN to Africa and SEEN where the Live Aid money really goes. Why he would continue to waste everyone's time when all the cash goes into some dictator's pocket is beyond my understanding. No one gets fed with this money, it just get's spent on foreign luxuries for African dictators. This is a proven fact.
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Quidquid Latine dictum sit altum sonatur.
posted on June 14, 2005 01:19:00 PM new
Replay - this is Live 8 (as in the G8 conference), not Live Aid and the money from this is going to childrens charities in the UK.
Ebay has pulled all of the auctions, supposedly out of agreement with with Live 8 organizers but more than likely it's because fans have been sabotaging all of them.
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No, I'm saying -- I'm merely -- I'm saying what I'm saying. I don't know why I'm always having people say, are you trying to say -- you know what you can do if you want to know what I'm saying is listen to what I'm saying. What I'm saying is what I said ...
