Ticketmaster teams up with charity to increase accessibility

Ticketmaster, one of the UK’s largest ticket seller for gigs and other events has launched a scheme to help disabled fans get better access to events. This is thanks to a collaboration with the charity Attitude is Everything who are behind the Ticketing without Barriers Coalition.

Attitude is Everything is a UK based charity who launched their Ticketing without Barriers Coalition after reports suggested that 82% of music fans with a disability found it difficult to attend live music events and that 83% of them had found inaccessible booking systems discouraged them from buying tickets in the first place. The campaign allowed music fans to submit details of their disability which allowed them to match up to venues that offered suitable facilities. It also allowed them to book ticket for gigs with their disability needs in mind. This means that at participating venues, guests will receive a clearly marked seat map with the accessibility seating highlighted and their tickets will give them access to wheelchair friendly zones or in range of a hearing loop as well as coming with a free companion ticket.

Ticketmaster has now become part of the scheme allowing music fans booking through their site to receive the same consideration.
Speaking to reporters, Andrew Parsons, Managing Director of Ticketmaster, said: “It’s something we’ve been seeking to address for some time now. Fundamentally, all fans deserve equal access to live entertainment. The plus side of this system is that in the future, fans won’t have to do anything. They will be able to buy their tickets like anyone else.”

Speaking about the soft launch at Glasgow’s SEC and Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena, he said: “The feedback has been really positive, we’re very keen to roll it out to a host of new venues now and I’m challenging all our teams on that.”

Thanks to the success of the scheme, a number of other arenas including those in Sheffield, Leeds and Newcastle will gain new accessible options by the end of the year, with more venues following in the new year.