Oasis onsale prompts investigation into dynamic pricing

The UK Government has announced it will be investigating dynamic ticket pricing for concert tickets, following a weekend of controversy over the blockbuster Oasis reunion shows.

There has been widespread media coverage of fan anger after ticket buyers who had queued for several hours were offered tickets for more than twice the advertised face value. 

The new UK Government was due to launch a consultation into the secondary ticketing market in the Autumn, with widespread expectation that there would be proposals to limit resale to a little over face value. Now it has responded to the Oasis controversy by saying that it would be adding the use of dynamic pricing into the consultation.

In a statement to IQ, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy MP said: “After the incredible news of Oasis’ return, it’s depressing to see vastly inflated prices excluding ordinary fans from having a chance of enjoying their favourite band live.

“Working with artists, industry and fans we can create a fairer system that ends the scourge of touts, rip-off resales and ensures tickets at fair prices.”

“This Government is committed to putting fans back at the heart of music. So we will include issues around the transparency and use of dynamic pricing, including the technology around queuing systems which incentivise it, in our forthcoming consultation on consumer protections for ticket resales.

“Working with artists, industry and fans we can create a fairer system that ends the scourge of touts, rip-off resales and ensures tickets at fair prices.”

On Saturday more than 10 million people reportedly tried to access tickets to the first Oasis shows in more than 15 years, taking place next summer in Dublin, Edinburgh, Manchester, Cardiff and London. 

By the end of Saturday, all of the shows had sold out with reports emerging about the deployment of ‘in demand’ pricing with customers being given a very short period of time to decide if they wanted the higher priced tickets.

In Ireland, the Tánaiste (deputy prime minister) said the prices were “shocking” and involved “a kind of runaway inflation”.

Mr Martin told RTÉ on Sunday there was still time for “redemption” from the organisers.

“There are a lot, a lot of disappointed people out there from the perspective of what they would see as price gouging,” he added.

Ticketmaster, Oasis and the tour’s promoters – Live Nation, MCD Productions, SJM Concerts and DF Concerts – have not commented on the implementation of dynamic pricing on the shows. 

However, Niels Henrik Sodemann, co-founder of Queue-it, the technology partner behind Ticketmaster’s queueing system, said the day went well from a technology perspective.

“At the end of the day, the only way all Oasis fans can be satisfied is substantially more opportunities for fans to experience them live”

“Although the public sale was on a Saturday, it was just another day in the office for us. Substantially more demand on a single customer on Saturday, but less than normal weekdays combined across our customers,” he said. 

“At the end of the day, the only way all Oasis fans can be satisfied is substantially more opportunities for fans to experience them live. In times where many artists are struggling making a living, it is great to see that some of the lighthouses can bring dreams and enthusiasm into the industry.”

While dynamic ticketing is a commonly used tool in North America, it has been less frequently used in the UK and Europe to date. The practice hit headlines in the UK earlier this month following the presale for Sabrina Carpenter’s 2025 tour when tickets were advertised for £220 or more within minutes of tickets going on sale.

The above face-value prices for Oasis tickets has also seen one of the tour’s official resale partners, Twickets, lower its service fees after fans posted screenshots of fees in excess of £100. 

Richard Davies, founder of Twickets, told IQ: “Due to the exceptional demand for the Oasis tour in 2025, Twickets have taken the decision to lower our booking fee to 10% + a 1% transactional fee (to cover bank charges) for all buyers of their tickets on our platform. In addition we have introduced a cap of £25 per ticket for these shows. Sellers of tickets already sell free of any Twickets charge.” 

The UK Government consultation on ticketing will launch in the coming months, with consumer groups now seeking to link dynamic pricing in the primary sector with secondary market activity. 

Dynamic ticketing was defended by Bruce Springsteen in November 2022 after tickets for his summer tour were advertised for $5,000 by Ticketmaster in the US. “I know it was unpopular with some fans,” he told Rolling Stone, “But if there’s any complaints on the way out, you can have your money back.”

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.

Read More Like This

News|29 Aug 2024

Twickets talks Oasis, Eras and future of resale

The platform's founder Richard Davies speaks to IQ about partnering on the reunion tour and effecting change in the market

News|28 Aug 2024

Oasis unveil Twickets partnership for reunion tour

Strict anti-touting measures are being put in place ahead of tickets going on sale for the band's first concerts in 16 years

News|27 Mar 2024

New legislation could mandate all-in pricing in UK

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill includes an amendment relating to "drip-feeding" of additional ticket fees

News|01 Aug 2024

StubHub sued for ‘deceptive pricing & junk fees’

DC attorney general Brian L. Schwalb has filed a lawsuit accusing the American resale platform of breaching consumer protection laws