Watchdog Says Ticketmaster May Have Misled Oasis Fans
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is pushing Ticketmaster to change its ticket-selling practices after complaints about the sale of Oasis reunion tour tickets. The watchdog says Ticketmaster may have misled fans by labeling standard seats as "platinum" and selling them for nearly 2.5 times the price without additional perks. Fans also weren’t informed that cheaper standing tickets were sold first, leaving many waiting in long queues without knowing they'd only have higher-priced options left.
Ticketmaster sold over 900,000 tickets for Oasis’s highly anticipated 2025 tour, but the process sparked backlash. Some tickets originally priced at £135 were later sold for £355 under the label "in demand." While Ticketmaster denies using dynamic pricing, the CMA says the company made it difficult for fans to make "informed choices." Since the investigation began, Ticketmaster has made some changes, but the CMA says they’re not enough.
The watchdog is now consulting with Ticketmaster to ensure clearer pricing and labeling. "We now expect Ticketmaster to work with us to address these concerns so, in future, fans can make well-informed decisions when buying tickets," said Hayley Fletcher, interim senior director of consumer protection. Meanwhile, the UK government is considering new rules to cap resale prices and increase accountability for ticket platforms.
