Frustration, disappointment, and downright anger - this is what a lot of Oasis fans felt during Saturday’s ticket sale fiasco organized (if we can say that) by the LiveNation-owned Ticketmaster.
What promised to be the most unmissable event potentially in British music turned out to be a frustrating low for fans who were stuck in endless queues - one to get onto the Ticketmaster website and a second just for tickets for the selected date.
Oasis Live ’25 is the first time the Gallaghers (Liam & Noel) will play on stage together since an infamous bust-up in Paris in 2009.
Tickets for the gigs in Cardiff, Manchester, London, Edinburgh, and Dublin went on sale on the Ticketmaster website at 9 am on Saturday, 31st August, with what felt like at least half the British population vying for tickets. Whether you were number 238,000 or number one, once you got to the front of the queue, you still had problems.
When trying to buy tickets, some fans complained that they couldn’t check out, or that the Ticketmaster website would either boot them out of the queue or crash, taking them right back to the start of the whole process.
One of the most morally criminal things Ticketmaster and Oasis did was dynamic ticket pricing, so general admission tickets were rumored to be around £150, but due to demand, Ticketmaster more than doubled that price to £350, with fans either having to pay up or miss out.
This factor has caused major concern, even in the government, with Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy stating, “After the incredible news of Oasis’s return, it’s depressing to see vastly inflated prices excluding ordinary fans from having a chance of enjoying their favorite band live.
“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 incentivize 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.”
Labour had promised to review ticket resales in its election manifesto, and this certainly isn’t the first time Ticketmaster has been at the forefront of fan anger - just look at the absolute shitshow that was ‘The Eras Tour’ tickets.
The calamity was summed right up on Twitter with Oasis saying that tickets found on second-hand market sellers would be canceled but then allowing Ticketmaster to tout their ticket prices.
The calamity was summed right up on Twitter with Oasis saying that tickets found on second-hand market sellers would be canceled but then allowing Ticketmaster to tout their ticket prices.
The incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by music fans when trying to secure tickets for highly anticipated events. The frustration experienced by Oasis fans during the ticket sale fiasco underscores the need for more transparency and fairness in the ticketing industry. The dynamic pricing strategy employed by Ticketmaster not only alienated fans but also raised concerns about accessibility to live music events.
The government's response to the situation, as articulated by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, reflects a growing awareness of the issues surrounding ticket resales and the impact of pricing practices on fans. The commitment to addressing these issues through consultations and collaboration with stakeholders signals a potential shift towards a more equitable ticketing system.
As fans and industry players navigate the aftermath of the Oasis ticket sale debacle, there is a renewed call for accountability and ethical practices in the ticketing ecosystem. The discourse around ticket resales and pricing dynamics is likely to evolve as stakeholders work towards creating a fairer and more inclusive environment for music enthusiasts.
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