The main ticket retailer behind Oasis’s reunion tour is facing stricter regulations after a backlash by fans who had to pay far more than the initial price to see the concerts.
An investigation into Ticketmaster by the Competition and Markets Authority has resulted in new rules aiming to ensure that fans receive “clear, accurate information, upfront”.
Fans spent hours in a virtual queue
PA
Ticketmaster was criticised for misleading fans who waited for hours in online queues only to find out that tickets were much pricier than they had anticipated.
While the cheapest tickets cost £73 for seating at most venues in the UK and Ireland, some fans paid up to £506 for the “platinum” package. While the name suggested it offered additional perks, it turned out to be identical to the standard option but cost two and a half times more.
Tiered pricing systems, in which prices jumped after cheaper tickets sold out, meant that fans expecting to pay £150 for standing, ended up paying around £300.
It led fans to believe the retailer was using dynamic pricing, where prices go up or down depending on demand. While the CMA found that this was not the case, Ticketmaster has been told to provide more upfront information about its pricing. This aims to prevent fans from spending more than they had intended under the pressure of a gig selling out.
One Oasis fan, Jack Bailey, 24, said that while the more expensive tickets would not have deterred him, “I’m sure a lot of people wouldn’t have stayed as long if the information was there”.
Bailey queued for just under four hours but was ultimately unable to get tickets. He added: “It’s a bit mad that they don’t have prices readily available.”
The new rules will result in a more transparent system. If the retailer intends to use tiered pricing, it will now have to give 24 hours’ notice, the CMA said.
Not only will it have to provide a list of prices for the available options while users wait in the queue, but it will have to update the page when cheaper options sell out, as with the tiered pricing.
Sarah Cardell, chief executive of the CMA, said: “Fans who spend their hard-earned money to see artists they love deserve to see clear, accurate information, upfront. We can’t ensure every fan gets a ticket for events as popular as the Oasis tour, but we can help ensure that next time an event like this comes along, fans have the information they need, when they need it.”
Tickets and merchandise sales are believed to be valued at £400 million
CARL DE SOUZA/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
Over the next two years, Ticketmaster will need to send regular reports to prove that it is implementing these measures.
If not, Cardell said the CMA “won’t hesitate to take further action” as a change in April meant it can now fine companies up to 10 per cent of their turnover if they break consumer law.
Ticket and merchandise sales for the tour are believed to be valued at £400 million according to Birmingham City University, averaging at £9.7 million per show.
Only about 1.5 million of the 14 million fans who tried to buy tickets to the UK tour were successful.