The UK’s competition regulator has launched an investigation into Oasis ticket sales after widespread complaints over pricing.

The investigation is also set to include a wider probe into how “dynamic pricing” was used during the sale.

Ticketmaster’s dynamic pricing meant that when reunion tour tickets went on sale, prices would rise in-line with demand.

The 90s Brit rock icons announced two extra Wembley Stadium shows as part of their 2025 UK tour on Wednesday, after “phenomenal demand” for tickets left many fans empty handed during the main sale on Saturday.

Tickets for the band’s tour went for up to £350 per ticket, around £200 more than had been advertised.

In response to widespread uproar over pricing, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) today announced it has launched an investigation.

The CMA confirmed it is now scrutinising whether the sale of Oasis tickets by Ticketmaster may have breached consumer protection law.

The probe follows Oasis’ comments hitting out at Ticketmaster’s pricing policy, with many fans pay over the odds to secure access to the tour.

In an apparent response to the anger about dynamic pricing, they say tickets will be sold by a ‘staggered, invitation-only ballot process’.

  • GiveOver@feddit.uk
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    2 months ago

    Spent ages in the queue and had tickets in my basket but I just couldn’t face £350 per ticket. Fuck Oasis, I don’t believe for a second that they were unaware of their own ticket prices. How can they complain against touts and scalping when that’s exactly what happened here.

      • br3d@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        Apparently the surge pricing reflected what touts would have charged. Makes you want to grab somebody and shout HOW IS THAT A JUSTIFICATION?! Yeah, and if somebody steals a car they’ll sell it to me cheaper than the dealer - so it feels like TM logic means the dealer should sell it to me cheaper too because that’s what the black market is priced at?

  • j4yt33@feddit.org
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    2 months ago

    Classic Ticketmaster

    I don’t understand how any musicians/managements can still claim that they didn’t know about ticketmaster’s bullshit practices

    • TheGrandNagus@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      Of course they know.

      When Ticketmaster does their surge pricing, the musicians also take a cut - the extra profit is split.

      It’s a win-win for them both. They both get more money, and Ticketmaster gets all the blame, absorbing all the hate, which they don’t care about.

      • brbposting@sh.itjust.works
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        2 months ago

        Can also make better money without looking like the bad guy by only releasing a small portion of tickets for general sale. Sell the rest offline to brokers who will put them on the secondary market.

        Scalpers look like the bad guys while you rake in what you feel you deserve - and even have the market’s apparent willingness to pay to back it up.

  • wewbull@feddit.uk
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    2 months ago

    Ticketmaster have been price gouging events for decades. This was just where they ended up because regulators have let them get away with it.

  • blackstrat@lemmy.fwgx.uk
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    2 months ago

    Not only do the band know about this practice they will have absolutely approved its use. So direct some of your scorn to Oasis and not just Ticketmaster.

    • steeznson@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      Exactly, Ticketmaster play the bad guys and deflect attention from major artists emptying their fans’ pockets. They don’t just own all the venues but also are in cahoots with the artists. Another example of vertical integration in the music industry.

  • DoucheBagMcSwag@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    2 months ago

    Remember when grocery store chains and restaurant say they’re going to implement dynamic pricing

    This is 100% of the time they will do it

    • Lad@reddthat.com
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      2 months ago

      They are one of the most egregious examples of a monopoly. Fuck them!

  • ᴇᴍᴘᴇʀᴏʀ 帝@feddit.ukOP
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    2 months ago

    Some people have said Oasis agreed to this, the band have released a statement saying they didn’t know about it, although their management and promoters did sign up to it “to help keep general ticket prices down as well as reduce touting”.

  • wingsfortheirsmiles@feddit.uk
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    2 months ago

    Heard a lot about that over in the US, no surprise crappy Ticketmaster brought it over here. Already on my avoid list as they block VPNs, kinda “you can’t fire me, I quit!” vibes but I don’t regret it

  • LifeBandit666@feddit.uk
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    2 months ago

    Kick back, watch it crumble

    See the drowning

    Watch the fall

    I feel just terrible about it

    That’s sarcasm, let it burn

    I’m gonna make a toast when it falls apart

    I’m gonna raise my glass above my heart

    Then someone shouts, “That’s what they get”

    For all the years of hit-and-run

    For all the piss broke bands on VH-1

    Where did all their money go?

    Don’t we all know?

    Parasitic music industry

  • FourPacketsOfPeanuts@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    I don’t get what the problem is about this? The last tickets are worth more than the first ones, no?

    They could just auction all the tickets, but the result would be the same

  • Wanderer@lemm.ee
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    2 months ago

    Issues with monopolies and price controls should absolutely be addressed.

    But supply and demand of in demand tickets where people are choosing to pay for non vital entertainment. Paying market prices doesn’t seem an issue.

    Some venues you can’t even buy a ticket because it’s all owned by corporations that give them out to mates or business interests. That’s more of a concern.

    • Tamo240@programming.dev
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      2 months ago

      I disagree with this whole ‘market price’ thing because as a consumer you don’t have constant opportunity to buy. You get one slot where you are are the front of the queue, and if you don’t like the price then tough. It essentially just rewards those who got to the front sooner, and punishes later joiners.

        • Tamo240@programming.dev
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          2 months ago

          They should gather that before they set the price. Once the box office doors open, increasing the price is price gouging plain and simple.

          • Wanderer@lemm.ee
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            2 months ago

            Yea I know there is a lot of money to be made in a job that does that.

            It’s stupid I agree. But I don’t see how it requires government intervention.