While attendees prepare for another year of the sold-out Coachella Music and Arts Festival, the festival is cracking down on scalpers by way of federal court action. Coachella has filed a lawsuit against Particle LLC, a Los Angeles marketing firm that has allegedly sold festival wristbands, including artist passes that grant access backstage.

The firm’s owner, Denise Kozlowski, has been accused of purchasing and re-selling Coachella wristbands. According to the terms and conditions, wristbands are non-transferable. An email sent out earlier this month by Kozlowski consists of short-term rental advertisements in La Quinta for both weekends of Coachella.

The email also contains language that implicates Kozlowski as a scalper: “I also have VIP, Guest and Artist passes for sale. Please inquire for more details.” The lawsuit details that buyers of Kozlowski’s sale will be denied entry to Coachella, “or worse, ejected from.”

The lawsuit also cites infringement of trademark since it uses the festival’s name to advertise the La Quinta rentals. According to Coachella, “money damages cannot fully repair the damage that will be done to (Coachella’s) reputation and goodwill if it must turn away would-be festival attendees because they have unwittingly purchased void passes from defendants.”

Coachella passes, which sell for hundreds of dollars, have sold out annually in most recent years. Though the festival forbids the re-sell or transfer of wristbands, scalpers prevail with sales via sites like Craigslist. Coachella, however, remains firm on their policy of denying scalped ticket holders entry to the festival if caught with transferred wristbands.

Via: The Desert Sun

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