Letters | Scalpers must be deterred from cashing in on Mirror mania
- Readers discuss the competition for Mirror concert tickets, the worrying rise in obesity linked to the pandemic, and the merits of the MPF scheme
Recently, the price of Mirror concert tickets has been cause for concern. With such fierce competition for tickets, a lucrative business in scalping has emerged. It doesn’t matter if the tickets are genuine or fake; all that matters is fans’ willingness to pay a higher price to get hold of a ticket.
Sellers risk a HK$2,000 fine for their activities, a policy that has remained unchanged since 1950 even as the trade has become more valuable than the penalty. It can hardly deter scalpers from selling overpriced tickets. Furthermore, the upper limit for the proportion of tickets allotted to sponsors or internal sale is 80 per cent, which means many fans are often competing for 20 per cent of tickets. Obviously, meeting the demand is challenging.
Mirror is performing a total of 10 shows this summer. Although there is an official Mirror fan club, it is allocating only 2,500 tickets via a lucky draw. Meanwhile, the fan club is said to have tens of thousands of members. Still, fans who are craving tickets will keep trying. Eventually, they might have no one to turn to except greedy scalpers.
Some will argue that going to a concert is not a necessity, and that the government should not put extra time or effort into this issue. However, to many fans, being able to enjoy the talent and charm of their idols is a form of therapy that can boost their emotional health and alleviate stress.