Radio 1's big weekend in Preston...

Not really, actually... well I think there is a legitimate market (where people bought/got tickets and truly cannot go and would like to get their money back) but then there's the other side which is the scalpers who buy/get tickets to great gigs and then try to profit from them with no intention of ever going to the gig - I don't agree with that. But it's market demand, as long as dumb asses pay extortionate amount for tickets (eg Perl Jam Gig in London last year, £25 ticket were selling for £500 each) then people are going to continue selling them for profit.

Check out Scarlet Mist (Ethical Ticket Re-selling) if you don't want to get ripped off, or you simply want your money back on tickets you can't use.

The difference in this case is that the tickets are initially given away FREE by the BBC. And the BBC is funded by the British people. So they are selling something they got free to people who have already provided all the funding for the gig.

So, I say no.

Hell yes I do. If complete idiots are prepared to pay £200 for tix that are free that's their shout. I'd rather buy a ticket to Moscow or Morocco if I had £200 spare.

Your licence fee only pays part of the BBC - the rest is paid for by selling stuff.

And there's always someone willing to pay to get something that should be free, or jump the queue - how do you think t*pping got started?

I think the BBC now makes more money selling stuff than it does from the licencing. Eg: Spooks, Teletubbies, Wiggles, Blue World, Eastenders, broadcasting of sports rights (for countries who can't afford to send their own reporters to cover), etc etc.

Agree with Fwoggie. If there's a market for something people will always try and sell it.

Although I wonder why the BBC didn't try and make some dosh themselves if people are happy to pay for these tickets.

No.