Has Japan Cracked the Problem with Scalping Concert Tickets?
Every concert-goer knows the misery that goes with getting tickets to a hot show, especially when scalpers and third-party resellers are concerned. Could Japanese facial recognition technology be the answer? From IQ Intel:
Japan is home to some of the world’s most avid music fans. Competition is fierce when it comes to buying concert tickets, especially for bigger acts. The country’s unique ticket-purchasing process further complicates matters. Only Japanese residents with memberships to local concert agencies or fan clubs can apply for tickets. And applying doesn’t guarantee admittance. Members must win ballots where the odds of securing tickets are sometimes close to zero. To increase their chances, some fans create “ghost memberships” using details of their family and friends.
Due to the difficulty of scoring tickets, many concertgoers in Japan have no choice but to turn to resellers. Ticket scalping is technically illegal, but it is a lucrative business.Tickets to Arashi concerts, for example, are notoriously difficult to come by due to the band’s enormous popularity. On some auction sites, resale tickets for the boy group can be 40 times the original price.
