Meet your ethical alternative to Touting – Tickets9
Ticket resale has long been a frustrating part of the live music experience, particularly for fans priced out of sold-out shows and venues that rarely see any benefit from the secondary market.
Tickets9, a new UK-based platform launched in late January, is aiming to rebalance that equation with a more considered, ethical-first approach.
Designed as an alternative to profit-driven resale sites, Tickets9 operates on strict face-value pricing. Sellers are unable to list tickets above their original cost and must provide proof of purchase for every listing, a measure intended to reduce speculative selling and fraud.
Fees are set at a flat 12 per cent, with the platform positioning this transparency as a key part of its appeal.
Central to the launch is Tickets9’s partnership with the Music Venue Trust. For events with a capacity of more than 5,000, a £1 levy is automatically added to each resale, with all funds directed to MVT’s work supporting grassroots music venues across the UK.
These venues continue to operate under increasing financial pressure, despite being essential to the development of emerging artists.
The platform’s arrival also aligns with recent changes to UK ticketing laws introduced in late 2025, which tightened restrictions on resale for profit.
In that context, Tickets9 is presenting itself as a practical model for fair resale — one that benefits fans while contributing to the wider live music ecosystem.
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While not formally tied to the platform, Coldplay loom as a high-profile spiritual partner for the movement. The band has already committed 10 per cent of proceeds from select UK stadium shows to the Music Venue Trust, with fans encouraged to use face-value resale options to ensure that grassroots funding isn’t undermined by third-party profiteering.
Although still early in its rollout, Tickets9 is closely linked with the Music Venue Trust’s network of independent venues, including spaces such as The Windmill in Brixton, King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut in Glasgow, The Leadmill in Sheffield and Clwb Ifor Bach in Cardiff.
Artists who have previously supported ticket levies, including Enter Shikari, Sam Fender, Nova Twins and Bob Vylan, are also expected to see activity on the platform.
Participating events are marked with an “MVT Approved” badge, with the £1 donation applied automatically for larger shows and remaining optional for smaller venues.
It’s a measured approach, but one that reflects a growing push within the industry to ensure ticket resale works more fairly for everyone involved.
