Getting Oasis Tickets Face Issues As UK Watchdog Questions Possible Fraud By Ticketmaster

Fans excited about the Oasis Live '25 reunion tour may have a huge problem. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has issued a warning that Ticketmaster may have misled consumers, threatening legal action.

The issue comes from how tickets for the event were sold only days before it takes place. In light of this, the CMA has raised concerns over the ticket giant's sale of over 900,000 tickets.

The Timeline of the CMA's Findings

This began in March, where the CMA cited issues with how Ticketmaster may have misled fans. Some buyers have paid more than £350 ($477) for tickets valued at £150 ($205). This echoed how Ticketmaster priced tickets for the band's comeback gigs in August 2024.

Ticketmaster addressed this, saying that changes were made in 'some aspects' of their sales process. However, the CMA said that these were not sufficient to fix the matter.

The Guardian reported that the CMA sent a letter to the business and trade select committee. They have assisted with investigating Ticketmaster's pricing, competition, and consumer protection. The CMA noted that they received a response from Ticketmaster this month.

'Having carefully considered Ticketmaster's response, the CMA's view is that there is a fundamental disagreement ... about whether Ticketmaster's practices infringed consumer law', said the CMA in a section of their submission relative to the Oasis investigation that was published on Wednesday.

'Ticketmaster has declined to provide undertakings in the terms sought by the CMA or indicate whether there is a form of undertakings which it would be prepared to offer,' they added.

The main concern for the CMA is Ticketmaster breaching consumer protection law. This includes labelling premium seating as 'platinum,' while selling them for almost 2.5 times the price of standard equivalent tickets. In addition, they aren't providing additional benefits for seats located in the same area of a stadium as standard tickets.

How The Issue Has Impacted Fans

The main concern for the CMA is Ticketmaster breaching consumer protection law. This includes labelling premium seating as 'platinum,' while selling them for almost 2.5 times the price of standard equivalent tickets.

In addition, they aren't providing additional benefits for seats located in the same area of a stadium as standard tickets. It begged the question, how are these tickets seen as 'premium' at all?

The CMA added that fans were not informed about the two categories of standing tickets with differing prices. Many buyers also waited in long online queues without understanding that the tickets would have inflated prices.

The watchdog didn't find any evidence of Ticketmaster leveraging an algorithm for their 'dynamic' pricing. However, they have flagged the lack of upfront and timely disclosure about their pricing methods as misleading.

The failure of the consultation process with Ticketmaster meant that (the CMS) was now in a position to look at taking legal action.

All Eyes Directed At The Ticketing Industry

The failure of the consultation process with Ticketmaster meant that (the CMS) was now in a position to look at taking legal action. The letter noted that they are now 'preparing to litigate the matter if necessary.'

Still, the watchdog will also continue to communicate with Ticketmaster to seek a resolution. Whether Ticketmaster implements meaningful transparency measures has yet to be seen or responded to.

That being said, regulators, lawmakers, and music fans should keep an eye out for this developing story. It comes at a crucial moment with the Oasis reunion tour around the corner to take place in Cardiff, Wales.