The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an official investigation into Ticketmaster’s handling of Oasis reunion concert ticket sales, focusing on the controversial use of ‘dynamic pricing’. This practice led to significant price increases, with some fans paying more than double the advertised price. Standard tickets initially priced at £148.50 soared to £355.00 after several hours of being on sale.CMA chief executive Sarah Cardell stated, ‘It’s clear that many people felt they had a bad experience and were surprised by the price of their tickets at check-out’. The investigation will examine whether Ticketmaster engaged in ‘unfair commercial practices’, if consumers were provided with clear and timely information about the possibility of ‘dynamic pricing’, and if they were pressured to buy tickets within a short period.Oasis members Liam and Noel Gallagher have distanced themselves from the pricing strategy, stating they had ‘no awareness that dynamic pricing was going to be used’. The band emphasized that decisions on ticketing and pricing were the responsibility of promoters and management.The UK government has also announced plans to review the practice of dynamic pricing for music concerts as part of its consultation into the secondary ticketing market. The CMA is inviting fans to submit evidence of their experiences to aid in the investigation.This investigation comes amid widespread concerns about ticket pricing practices in the music industry. The CMA has stated that it should not be assumed that Ticketmaster has broken consumer protection law, but it is keeping open all potential options for action.
Key points
- The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an investigation into Ticketmaster’s use of ‘dynamic pricing’ for Oasis reunion concert tickets.
- Fans reported paying more than double the advertised price due to dynamic pricing, with standard tickets increasing from £148.
- Oasis members Liam and Noel Gallagher claim they were unaware of the dynamic pricing strategy.
- The UK government plans to review dynamic pricing practices in the music industry.
50 to £355.
00.
