The issue of concert ticket prices has become a big problem, especially for fans like Jacki Thrapp. She lives in Nashville and found it cheaper to fly to Europe to see a Taylor Swift concert than to buy tickets for shows in the US. In the US, resale prices for tickets can skyrocket to $2,500, while the original price is only $49. This situation shows that many American fans, especially those in their 20s and 30s, are struggling to afford concert tickets, leading some to look for cheaper options in other countries.

In Europe, the rules about reselling tickets are very different from those in the US and UK. For example, in Sweden, the price of resale tickets is usually capped, meaning they can only be sold for about double the original price. Other countries like Germany, Italy, and Portugal have laws to stop prices from going too high. On the other hand, in the US and UK, ticket prices can rise a lot based on demand, which has led to complaints about "predatory resellers." Many people, including some artists, think the current system is unfair and are calling for changes, like capping resale prices.

Even with possible changes in the law, problems like ticket scalping and fake tickets are still common. Many fans trying to buy tickets for Taylor Swift's concerts in the UK have been scammed. Asher Weiss, the CEO of a ticketing startup called Tixologi, believes that technology, especially artificial intelligence (AI), could help solve these issues. Tixologi uses AI to spot strange buying patterns, like when one person buys many tickets from the same computer, which could help stop scalpers from getting too many tickets.

Tixologi also uses blockchain technology to make sure each ticket is unique and can't be copied. Their electronic tickets have a rotating QR code, making it hard for fake tickets to get through. This system also lets artists and venues stop ticket transfers, making it tougher to resell tickets. Similarly, a UK company called Seat Unique is using dynamic pricing, which means ticket prices can change based on demand, ensuring that artists and venues get more money when interest is high. As technology continues to improve, fans like Jacki Thrapp hope for a fairer ticketing system, even though it's not clear yet how effective these new ideas will be.

Original news source: Can technology fix the 'broken' concert ticketing system? (BBC)

– CHARADES
Instructions: Students will act out key terms and phrases from the article (e.g., "ticket scalping," "AI," "resale prices") without speaking while others guess what they are. This helps with vocabulary retention and encourages non-verbal communication skills.
– OPINION POLL
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups and ask them to discuss their opinions on concert ticket prices and the fairness of resale practices. Each group can then share their findings with the class, fostering discussion and critical thinking.
– HEADLINE CREATION
Instructions: In pairs, students will create catchy headlines based on the article's content. They should focus on summarizing the main issues related to concert ticket prices and technology's role in solving these problems. Afterward, they can share their headlines with the class.
– SYNONYM CHALLENGE
Instructions: Provide students with a list of key vocabulary from the article, and have them come up with synonyms for each word. This will help enhance their vocabulary and understanding of context. Students can work in pairs to encourage collaboration.
– MIND MAP
Instructions: On a large sheet of paper or a whiteboard, create a mind map as a class that visually represents the main ideas from the article. Students can contribute different branches based on topics such as ticket prices, technology, consumer protection, and international differences. This will aid in comprehension and retention.

The issue of ? ticket prices has become a big ?, especially for fans like Jacki Thrapp. She lives in Nashville and found it ? to fly to Europe to see a ? Swift concert than to buy tickets for shows in the US. In the US, resale prices for tickets can skyrocket to $2,500, while the original price is only $49. This situation shows that many American fans, especially those in their 20s and 30s, are struggling to afford concert tickets, leading some to look for cheaper options in other countries. In Europe, the rules about reselling tickets are very different from those in the US and UK. For example, in Sweden, the ? of resale tickets is usually capped, meaning they can only be sold for about double the original price. Other ? like Germany, Italy, and Portugal have laws to stop prices from going too high. On the other hand, in the US and UK, ticket prices can rise a lot based on demand, which has led to complaints about "predatory resellers." Many people, including some artists, think the current system is unfair and are calling for ?, like ? resale prices. Even with possible changes in the law, problems like ticket ? and fake tickets are still common. Many fans trying to buy tickets for Taylor Swift's concerts in the UK have been ?. ? Weiss, the CEO of a ticketing startup called Tixologi, believes that technology, especially artificial intelligence (AI), could help solve these issues. Tixologi uses AI to spot strange buying ?, like when one person buys many tickets from the same computer, which could help stop scalpers from getting too many tickets. Tixologi also uses blockchain technology to make sure each ticket is unique and can't be copied. Their electronic tickets have a rotating QR code, ? it hard for fake tickets to get through. This system also lets artists and venues stop ticket transfers, making it tougher to resell tickets. Similarly, a UK company called Seat ? is using dynamic pricing, which means ticket prices can change based on demand, ? that artists and venues get more money when interest is high. As technology continues to improve, fans like Jacki Thrapp hope for a fairer ticketing system, even though it's not clear yet how ? these new ideas will be.

1. What is your opinion on the high prices of concert tickets?
2. How would you feel if you had to travel to another country to see your favorite artist because tickets were cheaper there?
3. Do you think it's fair for ticket prices to rise so much based on demand? Why or why not?
4. Have you ever had a bad experience trying to buy concert tickets? What happened?
5. What is a “predatory reseller,” and why do you think people dislike them?
6. Do you think laws should be put in place to limit ticket resale prices? Why or why not?
7. How would you feel if you bought a ticket only to find out it was fake?
8. Do you like the idea of using technology, like AI and blockchain, to solve ticketing problems? Why or why not?
9. What is your experience with buying tickets online? Do you find it easy or difficult?
10. How do you think artists feel about the high prices of their concert tickets?
11. Do you think dynamic pricing is a good idea for concert tickets? Why or why not?
12. What is a concert you would pay a lot of money to see? Why would you pay that much?
13. How would you feel if your favorite artist decided to cap ticket prices to make them more affordable?
14. Do you think attending concerts is worth the money? Why or why not?
15. What changes would you like to see in the ticketing system for concerts?

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