CMA launches investigation into Ticketmaster over dynamic pricing ...

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it has launched an investigation into Ticketmaster’s use of dynamic pricing during the sale of tickets for the Oasis Live ’25 stadium tour.

The government had already promised to explore the use of dynamic pricing by Ticketmaster for the Oasis shows during a forthcoming consultation on consumer protections for ticket resales.

Ticketmaster’s use of the pricing model for the Oasis tour sparked widespread complaints from consumers after fans were left waiting for hours in online queues before unexpectedly being faced with the prospect of inflated prices of £355 for standing tickets that were shown as being £135 at the outset.

The CMA is scrutinising whether the sale of Oasis tickets by Ticketmaster may have breached consumer protection law. The investigation will consider a variety of things including whether:

Ticketmaster has engaged in unfair commercial practices which are prohibited under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 People were given clear and timely information to explain that the tickets could be subject to so-called ‘dynamic pricing’ with prices changing depending on demand, and how this would operate, including the price they would pay for any tickets purchased People were put under pressure to buy tickets within a short period of time – at a higher price than they understood they would have to pay, potentially impacting their purchasing decisions

The A said it is at the initial stage of its investigation and will now be engaging with Ticketmaster and gathering evidence from various other sources, which may include the band’s management and event organisers. It said it should not be assumed that Ticketmaster has broken consumer protection law. The CMA will also consider whether it is appropriate to investigate the conduct of anyone else in relation to the matter.

The regulator is inviting fans to submit evidence of their experiences in relation to the purchase or attempted purchase of Oasis tickets. Fans are being asked to provide their evidence through CMA connect and, where possible, to include any screenshots they may have taken as they progressed through the purchasing process.

CMA CEO Sarah Cardell said, “It’s important that fans are treated fairly when they buy tickets, which is why we’ve launched this investigation. It’s clear that many people felt they had a bad experience and were surprised by the price of their tickets at check-out. We want to hear from fans who went through the process and may have encountered issues so that we can investigate whether existing consumer protection law has been breached.

“The CMA also welcomes the government’s recent announcement that it will consult on measures to provide stronger protections to consumers in the ticketing sector, wherever they buy their tickets. This has been a priority focus for the CMA for several years, having previously taken enforcement action and recommended changes to improve the secondary tickets market. We are committed to working closely with government to tackle the longstanding challenges in the ticket market.”

On Wednesday, Oasis announced two further Wembley Stadium dates bringing the total to seven at the London venue. The band took the opportunity to also issue a statement in which they said the band leave decisions on ticketing and pricing entirely to their promoters and management and at no time had any awareness that dynamic pricing was going to be used.

They stated: “While prior meetings between promoters, Ticketmaster and the band’s management resulted in a positive ticket sale strategy, which would be a fair experience for fans, including dynamic ticketing to help keep general ticket prices down as well as reduce touting, the execution of the plan failed to meet expectations. All parties involved did their utmost to deliver the best possible fan experience, but due to the unprecedented demand this became impossible to achieve.”