LONDON — Britain’s competition watchdog has launched an investigation into how tickets were sold for next year’s reunion concerts of iconic 1990s Britpop band Oasis.
In a statement on Thursday, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said its investigation into Live Nation Entertainment’s Ticketmaster will specifically look at “dynamic pricing”, where prices can vary rapidly in light of changing market conditions.
It is a pricing strategy used in flight sales and home delivery of food, where demand fluctuates.
Many Oasis fans who queued for hours online at the Ticketmaster site on Saturday complained that they ended up paying more than double the ticket’s face value due to dynamic pricing, with standard tickets often going for 355 pounds ($470) were sold compared to the expected 148 ($195).
Critics said it was deceptive and inappropriate to use dynamic pricing for the Oasis concerts as it was known from the start that there would be skyrocketing demand for the more than 1 million tickets.
The watchdog said it would investigate whether Ticketmaster, Britain’s largest ticket seller, may have engaged in unfair trading practices and whether it breached consumer protection laws. It said it may implement enforcement if it sees evidence of possible violations of the law.
The investigation will examine whether consumers were told in a clear and timely manner that the tickets could be subject to dynamic pricing, and whether they were pressured to purchase tickets within a short period of time – at a higher price than they expected. thought. should pay.
“It’s important that fans are treated fairly when they buy tickets, which is why we launched this investigation,” said Sarah Cardell, the watchdog’s chief executive. “It is clear that many people felt they had a bad experience and were surprised by the price of their tickets at check out.”
The organization wants to hear from fans who have experienced issues during ticket sales, and gather evidence from Ticketmaster and other sources, which may include the band’s management and event organizers.
Oasis is led by brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher, who said in a statement on Wednesday that they were not aware “dynamic pricing” would be used and acknowledged that the implementation of the ticket plan “did not meet expectations”.
“It must be made clear that Oasis leave decisions regarding ticketing and pricing entirely up to their promoters and management, and were at no time aware that dynamic pricing would be used,” the band said.
The tickets that went on sale on Saturday were for the band’s concerts on July 4 and 5 at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, Heaton Park in Manchester, on July 11, 12, 16, 19 and 20, London’s Wembley Stadium on 25, July 26 and 30 and August 30. 2 and 3, Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh on August 8, 9 and 12; and Croke Park in Dublin on August 16 and 17.
Two more dates were announced on Wednesday at Wembley on September 27 and 28, which will only be open to people who were unable to get tickets in the first Ticketmaster sale.
Formed in Manchester in 1991, Oasis were one of the dominant British acts of the 1990s, producing hits such as ‘Wonderwall’, ‘Champagne Supernova’ and ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’. The sound was fueled by sing-along rock choruses and the combustible chemistry between guitarist-songwriter Noel Gallagher and his frontman brother Liam.
Oasis split in 2009, with Noel Gallagher leaving the band after a backstage clean-up with his brother at a festival near Paris. Although the Gallagher brothers, now aged 57 and 51, have not performed together since, both regularly perform Oasis songs during their solo performances. They have also criticized each other in the press.
