Bundesliga wins in legal dispute against secondary ticket market Viagogo

The Bundesliga has prevailed in a long-term legal dispute with a second provider of stadium tickets. The Munich Higher Regional Court (OLG) ruled that several business practices were misleading and were therefore considered a violation of competition law. The lawsuit regarding the “unauthorized secondary ticket market” operated by Viagogo AG, according to the Bundesliga, had previously gone through several instances.

With the ruling, the court "strengthens the efforts of clubs and associations for a fair, transparent ticket market and sends a clear signal against opaque offers and excessive prices," said the Bundesliga. According to the OLG, Viagogo can take action against the judgment “with a non-admission complaint before the Federal Court of Justice in order to obtain approval for an appeal.”

Legal dispute after Supercup 2019

The origin of the legal dispute dates back several years. During the 2019 Supercup, Viagogo offered tickets for the FC Bayern Munich game against Borussia Dortmund on its platform before official ticket sales by the Bundesliga had even begun. After receiving a warning, the Bundesliga took legal action.

According to a press release from the Bundesliga, these unlawful “short sales” put fans at risk of not receiving a ticket at all or of being turned away at the stadium due to unauthorized tickets. Nevertheless, Viagogo advertised the cards with guarantees. The Bundesliga therefore accused the provider of misleading fans.

Bundesliga wants to take further action against non-transparent second providers

The ruling prohibits the company from offering tickets before official ticket sales. In addition, guarantees for tickets must not be advertised or a shortage of tickets suggested.

“This decision is an important success for the protection of fans and a fair ticket market,” said Bundesliga managing director Marc Lenz. However, there is still a secondary market for stadium tickets, in which there are sometimes significant transparency deficits. The Bundesliga will continue to take action against this.