Ticket sellers for both music and sports events may be required to tell fans maximum prices at the beginning of a ticket-buying process, according to a potential new law.
READ MORE: Music industry responds to Lisa Nandy MP being named Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The potential legal requirement comes following Oasis announcing a huge comeback tour earlier this year, which left fans scrambling to get tickets. During the tumultuous sale for UK and Ireland shows, some fans were disappointed to find huge price increases due to Ticketmaster’s dynamic pricing policy upon accessing ticket pages.
The ticketing platform’s “surge pricing” scheme, introduced in 2022, increases ticket prices based on demand. Ticketmaster have clarified on their website previously that tickets that are “market-priced” and “may increase or decrease at any time, based on demand. This is similar to how airline tickets and hotel rooms are sold.”
Now, with many fans and politicians alike being left frustrated by the policy, a new bill has been put forward in the House Of Commons, encouraging more transparency when it comes to buying tickets.
The Sale Of Tickets (Sporting and Cultural Events) Bill was reported by Sky News earlier today (October 21), and proposed by Labour MP Rupa Huq.
Huq, who is the MP for Ealing Central and Acton, claimed she was “scandalised” by the Oasis ticketing situation and recalled how some fans felt pressured to pay the high prices after waiting for hours in the excessive queues.
In the sales for UK and Ireland shows, standard tickets were worth £148, but as demand increased some were soon hiked up in price and costing upwards of £355.
MP Rupa Huq in the Houses of Parliament, Westminster on November 16, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Nicola Tree/Getty Images)
Speaking at the House Of Commons, Huq recalled how she watched the band back in the ‘90s, and feels, “There needs to be some fairness in the process because it feels as if the consumer balance is wrong and the ticket merchants can literally double it, triple it, think of a number, infinity and beyond.”
She continued (via Sky News): “This won’t outlaw dynamic pricing, it’s just introducing transparency and certainty because there is a place for the market as well.”
Already, the proposed law has gathered support from other members of parliament, and could be considered further on December 6, however, it will need backing from the government. A consultation on the secondary ticket market will be launched in the autumn, and Ministers have highlighted how dynamic pricing could be beneficial provided it provides cheaper early tickets.
Earlier this month, Britain’s Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy also condemned the dynamic pricing applied to Oasis UK reunion tour tickets in her first address to the UK music industry. The MP first called for a review of “dynamic pricing” and secondary ticket sites in September.
Before then, Oasis faced backlash from fans, and responded with a statement which read: “Oasis leave decisions on ticketing and pricing entirely to their promoters and management, and at no time had any awareness that dynamic pricing was going to be used.”
The band later confirmed that a dynamic pricing structure would not be applied to their North American reunion tour dates.
Following the UK and Ireland sale controversy, the issue was brought to the Advertising Standards Agency and the European Commission, with a separate call for an investigation brought by the UK government. Experts also suggested that not warning Oasis fans of the dynamic pricing may breach consumer law.
Oasis in 1994 (Photo by Michel Linssen/Redferns)
In other Oasis news, the band confirmed their return to North America last month, as well as a string of shows in Australia, which will take place in late October and early November. Already, the latter have been extended twice due to “phenomenal demand”.
Since the announcement, there have been reports that a documentary was in the works to chronicle their journey to their return and the colossal gigs, although the band have since denied this.
Sources close to the band and tour have told NME that further international dates are set to be announced for cities including Seoul (South Korea), Tokyo (Japan), São Paulo (Brazil), Santiago (Chile) and Buenos Aires (Argentina).
More recently, Oasis ruled out a headline performance at Glastonbury 2025 and said they won’t be appearing at any other festivals next summer. Liam and Noel have shot down rumours of a return to Knebworth in 2026 too.
It was confirmed this afternoon that Richard Ashcroft will be joining the band as a special guest for their 2025 UK and Ireland reunion tour.
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