The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an investigation into Ticketmaster, the ticketing giant owned by Live Nation.
Investigate the cause? Saturday specials are oasis’ UK and Ireland stadium tour 2025 including ‘how it’s called’dynamic PricingThe CMA said in a statement today (September 5) that it “may have been used”.
Competition watchdog says it plans to review whether Ticketmaster could sell Oasis tickets violation Consumer Rights Protection Act”.
Exceed 10 million fans from 158 It was confirmed on Saturday (August 31) that multiple countries were queuing up to purchase tickets for the tour.
the other two wembley stadium Due to “unprecedented demand” during the sale, Oasis said in a press release yesterday that “all ticketing platforms are struggling to cope, resulting in huge frustration and disappointment for fans who have queued for hours and missed out”.
To put the extent of that need into context— wembleyOasis will now play seven of the 19 games on tour, with a capacity of 90,000, This means the band needs to perform 111 Stadium dates to meet demand for next year’s tour.
Yesterday (Wednesday), in the same press release announcing two more Wembley gigs, Oasis (Noel Gallagher, Liam Gallagher and bandmates) went public with the pair leading up to the sale during the Keep the decision to use Ticketmaster’s “dynamic” pricing tool at arm’s length.
Sources familiar with the matter who spoke to MBW this week estimated 10-15% of 1.4 million Tickets sold over the weekend are “dynamically” priced on Ticketmaster.
The tickets cost more than double their face value GBP £150 The “demand” price tag is approx. GBPChapter 355 – prompting an outcry from fans on social media platforms (and a lot of discussion in other media outlets – including Tuesday’s MBW).
“To be clear, Oasis left ticketing and pricing decisions entirely to their promoters and management and was not aware at any time that dynamic pricing would be used,” the band’s press release yesterday said.
“While previous meetings between organizers, Ticketmaster and band management agreed on an aggressive ticket sales strategy that would be a fair experience for fans, including dynamic ticketing to help lower overall ticket prices and reduce touting, the plan’s Execution fell short of expectations.
Oasis, via press release
It added: “While previous meetings between promoters, Ticketmaster and band management agreed on an aggressive ticket sales strategy that will be a fair experience for fans, including dynamic ticketing to help lower overall ticket prices and reduce touting, But the execution plan fell short of expectations.
“All parties involved are doing their best to provide the best fan experience possible, but due to unprecedented demand, this is not possible.”
The CMA said today that the investigation was in its initial stages. Now it will work with Ticket Master and Evidence is gathered from a variety of other sources, which “may include the band’s management and event organizers”.
The Oasis tour is being promoted by SJM, Live Nation, MCD and DF Concerts. Ticketmaster is one of three ticketing websites used, the others being Gigs, Tours and See Tickets.
In a statement on Thursday, the CMA stressed that “Ticketmaster should not be considered to have breached consumer protection law”.
The competition watchdog added that it “will also consider whether it is appropriate to investigate the conduct of others in relation to this matter”.
“Dynamic” ticket pricing surges instantly as demand increases, similar to airline tickets or Uber.
Live Nation has previously argued that the program addresses the problem of scalpers buying tickets at face value and then selling them at higher prices.
The CMA said on Thursday that “this is not the first time” the use of “dynamic pricing” has “caused concern among fans of live sports and music events”.
The CMA said that while this practice “is not necessarily illegal, in some circumstances it may breach consumer protection or competition law”.
“It is important that fans are treated fairly when buying tickets, which is why we are launching this investigation.”
Sarah Caddell, CMA
Sarah Cardell, chief executive of the CMA, said: “It is important that fans are treated fairly when buying tickets, which is why we have launched this investigation.
“Obviously, a lot of people felt they had a bad experience and were surprised by the price of tickets when they checked out. We would like to hear from fans who have been through this process and may have had issues so we can investigate whether a violation existing consumer protection laws.
“The CMA also welcomes the Government’s recent announcement that it will consult on measures to provide stronger protection for consumers in the ticketing industry, regardless of where they purchase their tickets.
“This has been a primary focus of the CMA for many years, having previously taken enforcement action and recommended reforms to improve the secondary ticket market. We are committed to working closely with the Government to address long-standing challenges in the ticket market.
The CMA said its investigation would consider “a number of factors”, including “whether Ticketmaster engaged in unfair business practices”, saying it was “prohibited by the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008”.
It will also investigate “whether clear and timely information is provided to people to explain that tickets may be subject to so-called ‘dynamic pricing’, where prices change based on demand, and how this will work, including the price they are willing to pay to buy it” of any tickets.
People are under pressure to buy tickets at short notice – prices are higher than they think they have to pay, which may influence their purchasing decisions
As part of its information gathering, the CMA invites fans to submit evidence of their experiences purchasing or attempting to purchase Oasis tickets.
Fans are asked to provide evidence via CMA connect and, where possible, attach any screenshots they may have taken during the purchase process.
Anger over Oasis ticket sales has also caught the attention of politicians this week, with Culture Minister Lisa Nandy confirming over the weekend that the practice of “dynamic pricing” will be included in a government consultation on ticketing.
The GuardianMeanwhile, it was reported yesterday that the European Commission is investigating “Ticketmaster’s ability to increase concert ticket prices based on demand”.
According to a report by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), the British Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has received hundreds of complaints about Ticketmaster’s performance advertising.
“Ticket prices are determined by the organizers and artists,” Ticketmaster said on its website. The company added, “Price can be fixed or market-based. Market-based tickets are marked platinum or exist Require”.
Ticketmaster listed “market-based” tickets for the Oasis show on Saturday as “Strong demand‘.
The company further explains on its website that “On-Demand Tickets are tickets to concerts and other events offered by artists and event organizers through Ticketmaster” and that “they give fans fair and secure access to sought-after tickets at market-driven prices seats.
In addition, in the United States, Live Nation is currently involved in a legal battle with the U.S. Department of Justice. The U.S. Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation on May 23, accusing the company of engaging in anti-competitive behavior.
The full text of the DOJ lawsuit, which seeks to separate Live Nation from its ticketing subsidiary Ticketmaster, can be read here.
In the complaint, in a section dealing with “the flow of funds in the live entertainment industry,” the Justice Department cited Ticketmaster’s Pricing Tools.
“The face value of a ticket is typically set or approved by the artist, although the promoter’s quote can also affect the face value,” the complaint states.
It added: “Artists, in consultation with their managers and promoters (one or both of whom may be Live Nation employees), may also decide to enable dynamic pricing through Ticketmaster’s two dynamic pricing tools, Pricemaster and Platinum, which This tool allows the ticket value to increase based on the level of demand for a particular concert.
“Promoters and venues use Ticketmaster’s Pricemaster tool for dynamic pricing in ‘bulks’ for seat groups, while Platinum tickets are used for dynamic pricing by seat class. For tickets dynamically priced by Ticketmaster, whether they are bulk tickets or seat-level tickets , consumers typically pay a higher face value.
The complaint also states: “Ticketmaster has a pricing team that is responsible for making pricing recommendations, including recommendations regarding average ticket face values and minimum face values. Typically, Ticketmaster’s own pricing team will adjust ticket face values based on demand for a particular show.”
Live Nation argued in its official response to the lawsuit that the legal action “will not reduce ticket prices or service fees” and that “the live events market is more competitive than ever — which is why Ticketmaster’s market share has increased since 2010 It has been declining for years.”global music businessglobal music business
