During a recent parliamentary committee hearing, the MD of Ticketmaster UK, Andrew Parsons, claimed that the platform operates “very fairly priced” ticket sales. Parsons was speaking at the Business and Trade Select Committee, following criticism that erupted last year over the “dynamic pricing” of tickets for an upcoming Oasis reunion tour. Several hundred fans raised complaints over the fluctuation in ticket prices, which climbed dramatically to more than £350 despite starting out much lower. In response to the backlash, Oasis stated that the band does not manage any ticketing decisions or pricing estimations.
Regarding Ticketmaster’s role in the Oasis upset, Parsons stated that the online platform is not accountable for dynamic pricing, as ticket prices “are set in advance” and are subject to event organisers’ suggested prices. Parsons also maintained that there is no automated or algorithmic adjustment to prices at any stage prior to ticket sales going live. However, an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) into Ticketmaster’s use of dynamic pricing is ongoing.
In addition, the UK government has unveiled plans to cap ticke resale prices for live events. As part of Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy’s pledge to ensure fans are not being exploited by ticket touts, such caps are set at “30% above face value” as a maximum. This measure follows the outcry over prices for the Oasis tour, as well as previous complaints from customers encountering excessive ticket reselling prices.
Henrietta Taylor, Mixmag’s Digital Intern, has written the original article
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