Ticketmaster has agreed to sweeping changes in how it sells concert tickets following a Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigation into the chaotic Oasis ticket sales last year. The commitments will require the platform to provide fans with clearer pricing information before and during ticket purchases.
Concert-goers will now receive comprehensive price range information when joining online queues and get regular updates when cheaper seats sell out. Ticketmaster must also give buyers at least 24 hours' notice before sales begin if tiered pricing will be used, explaining exactly what this means for ticket availability and costs.
Investigation findings
The CMA probe into Oasis ticket sales revealed significant transparency issues with Ticketmaster's approach. The investigation found that fans waiting in lengthy queues were not told that standing tickets were being sold at two different price levels, with costs jumping as soon as cheaper options sold out.
Some "platinum" tickets were sold at almost two and a half times the price of "standard" tickets without sufficient explanation that these offered no additional benefits in the same venue areas. The CMA said this pricing structure was implemented without adequate disclosure to waiting customers.
New requirements
Ticketmaster must now implement a 24-hour advance notification system whenever tiered pricing is planned for events. This means fans will know beforehand if multiple prices exist for the same ticket type and understand that more expensive options will be released once cheaper ones sell out.
The platform must also provide detailed price range information when people join online queues, helping customers anticipate potential costs. Queue updates must swiftly inform fans when lower-priced tickets are no longer available.
All tickets must be described accurately without misleading labels that might suggest one ticket offers superior benefits when that is not the case. The company faces two years of regular compliance reporting to the CMA, with potential enforcement action for any failures.
Enforcement and reaction
CMA chief executive Sarah Cardell 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."
The regulator confirmed that contrary to many fans' assumptions, no evidence was found that Ticketmaster used dynamic pricing algorithms that adjust costs in real-time based on demand during the Oasis sales. Ticketmaster made the commitments voluntarily without admitting wrongdoing or liability.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
