British authorities say the official ticketing partner may have breached consumer protection laws.
Britain's competition watchdog has launched an investigation into US-based ticketing and distribution company Ticketmaster over the sale of Oasis tickets, including the use of “dynamic pricing” to increase the cost to fans at the last minute.
Thousands of fans waited for hours in virtual queues last weekend to get tickets for the British band's reunion shows next year, only to find that prices had been increased under a dynamic pricing scheme.
Many thought they would pay the advertised rate of £148.50 ($195.10) but ended up paying more than double that, £355.20 ($466.66).
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said on Thursday it was investigating whether the sale of Oasis tickets by Ticketmaster, the official ticketing partner for the concerts, could have breached consumer protection law.
It said it would examine whether Ticketmaster had engaged in “unfair business practices”, whether fans were given “clear and timely” information to explain that tickets could be subject to dynamic pricing and whether people were pressured to buy tickets in a short period of time.
The CMA said Ticketmaster should not be assumed to have breached consumer protection laws. As part of the investigation, fans are being asked to provide evidence of their experiences.
There was no immediate comment from Ticketmaster.
Oasis denies responsibility
In a statement released on Wednesday, Oasis said decisions on ticket sales and pricing were the responsibility of promoters and management.
Oasis “was never aware that dynamic pricing would be used” in ticket sales for the initial dates, the band said.
The British government said this week it would investigate how concert ticket prices are raised during periods of high demand.
According to the CMA, dynamic pricing has become increasingly common in several markets.
“This is not the first time this has raised concerns among fans of live sporting and music events,” he added.
Oasis initially announced 14 shows, the first of which would take place in Cardiff in July, followed by nights in Manchester (where the band formed in 1991), London, Edinburgh and Dublin.
Oasis added three UK dates last week with additional shows in Manchester, London and Edinburgh. On Wednesday, they added two more dates in London due to “phenomenal demand”.
