Explainer | How has Hong Kong-Singapore Asian Cup football qualifier rekindled scalping issue?
Coming match on Tuesday sold out in less than 80 minutes last Friday, but one reseller offered tickets at nearly 17 times official price
The highly anticipated Asian Cup qualifying match between Hong Kong and Singapore at Kai Tak Stadium next Tuesday is the latest mega-event in the city targeted by scalpers, some of whom were found reselling tickets at 17 times the official price.
Disappointed fans found that the match sold out in less than 80 minutes last Friday, but discovered listings on sites including online marketplace Carousell.
Hong Kong’s legislation on the unauthorised resale of tickets, the Places of Public Entertainment Ordinance, was introduced decades ago to deal with gangs who touted tickets in person, but it fails to regulate today’s predominant system of online sales.
The Post takes a look at how the critical game triggered a fresh round of ticket scalping in Hong Kong.
1. What is the outcry about?
Tickets for the match sold out in less than 80 minutes last Friday after going on sale at 3pm via the online platform Ticketflap, with no real-name verification required.
Customers could buy up to six tickets in each transaction.