Fans of legendary Britpop band Oasis were left fuming after ticket prices for the group’s highly anticipated reunion tour skyrocketed due to “dynamic pricing”. Over 10 million worldwide tried to secure seats to the sold-out shows, but many were shocked to see costs double at checkout.
The UK competition regulator is now probing ticket giant Ticketmaster over complaints around the sale. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) will examine if consumers were misled about variable pricing and unfairly rushed into purchases.
Sources say around 15% of the 1.4 million tickets moved used this model. It saw quotes leap from £150 to £355 without warning, leaving people queuing for hours livid. Dynamic pricing is supposed to undercut touts, but the bands disowned knowledge of it being applied.
Politicians have taken note, with the practice facing governmental review. The European Commission and advertising watchdog are also investigating after a flood of angry messages.
Ticketmaster claims artists set fees but maintains “In Demand” tagged tickets simply react to the open market. However, legal filings in the US allege their team impacts prices behind the scenes.
