CMA Warns Ticketmaster of Potential Legal Violations and Misleading Fans During Oasis Reunion Ticket Sales

Cma Investigation Into Ticketmaster

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has raised concerns that Ticketmaster may have “violated the law” and “misled fans” during the sale of OASIS tickets last summer.

• READ MORE: You have to roll with this: a rocky road to the supersonic return of the oasis

Government Consultation and Ticket Sales Issues

In January, the UK government launched a consultation regarding ticket resale markets to “better protect fans, improve access to live events, and support the growth of the world sector of events in the UK.” This initiative followed disputes associated with the sale of Oasis Live ’25 tickets last summer which left thousands of fans frustrated, as ticket prices skyrocketed unexpectedly due to demand. Both the CMA and the European Commission are currently investigating this matter.

Moreover, in October, Oasis and Ticketmaster announced their intention to invalidate over 50,000 tickets that were sold through unofficial secondary markets. This decision will take effect starting in February.

Recently, the CMA reported their findings regarding Ticketmaster, voicing concerns that the company may have “violated consumer rights” in two significant ways.

Firstly, the CMA alleges that Ticketmaster labeled certain seating tickets as “platinum” and sold them for “almost 2.5 times higher than the price of equivalent standard tickets, without clarifying that they offered no additional advantages and were often in the same area of the stadium.” This could mislead customers into believing that platinum tickets were superior.

Another potential violation involves Ticketmaster failing to inform consumers about two categories of tickets available at different prices. They noted that cheaper tickets were sold first, leading customers to wait without knowing that they would ultimately pay more.

The CMA further mentioned that, despite the widespread belief in “dynamic pricing” affecting OASIS ticket sales, where prices fluctuate based on demand, they “did not find evidence that this actually occurred.” Instead, they concluded that Ticketmaster initially released tickets at a lower price, and upon selling out, proceeded to sell more expensive options.

“CMA is concerned that consumers were not provided with clear and timely information on how regular ticket pricing would function,” they added. “Especially given that many customers had to wait in long lines to see which tickets were available.”

In response to an inquiry from NME regarding the CMA investigation, Ticketmaster stated: “At Ticketmaster, we strive to provide the best platform for ticket sales, offering a simple, transparent, and convenient experience for consumers. We welcome the CMA’s input, which helps make the industry even better for fans.”

They further asserted that Ticketmaster “does not employ dynamic pricing, including algorithmic, differential or surge pricing, and we are pleased that the CMA has clarified this in their investigation.”

The CMA acknowledged that Ticketmaster had made some adjustments to its ticket sales process; however, they expressed that these changes were not “sufficient to address” the issues at hand.

Haley Fletcher, interim senior director of consumer protection, stated: “We are concerned that Oasis fans did not receive the necessary information they needed, or were perhaps misled in their ticket purchases, believing they were acquiring better options. We anticipate that Ticketmaster will collaborate with us to resolve these issues, enabling fans to make well-informed decisions when buying tickets in the future.”

Starting April 6, the CMA will gain new consumer powers, allowing them to determine violations of consumer law without needing to take a case to court. The new digital markets, competition, and consumers in 2024 will also empower them to fine firms that violate consumer law up to 10 percent of their turnover.

Oasis has stated that they “had no prior knowledge” of the sales strategy, claiming that “previous meetings between promoters, Ticketmaster, and the band’s management led to a positive ticket sales strategy aimed at creating a fair experience for fans, including dynamic ticketing to aid common ticket availability, as well as reducing the identification of expectations.”

As fans await a tour starting on July 4 in Cardiff, sources close to the group informed NME that the lineup will include Andy Bell, Gem Archer, Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs, and Joey Romer, alongside Noel and Liam Gallagher.