After an investigation into the way Ticketmaster sold tickets for the current Oasis tour, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has secured formal commitments to change from the Live Nation company, which it said sends a clear message to all ticketing services.

The commitments, otherwise known as undertakings, will see Ticketmaster make it clear to fans what they will get for their money and give more information about different ticket prices.

Following widespread concerns about the Oasis ticket onsale, the CMA launched an investigation last year into Ticketmaster’s methods. It was widely reported that Ticketmaster used dynamic pricing – with ticket prices adjusted in real time according to changing conditions like high demand – but the CMA found no evidence that it was used.

The CMA’s investigation was primarily used to explore concerns in two areas:

  • Ticketmaster did not tell fans waiting in lengthy queues that standing tickets were being sold at two different prices, and that prices would jump as soon as the cheap tickets sold out.
  • Ticketmaster sold some ‘platinum’ tickets at almost 2.5 times the price of ‘standard’ tickets – without sufficient explanation that these offered no additional benefits over some ‘standard’ tickets in the same areas of the venue.

In response, the CMA said it has secured undertakings to ensure fans buying tickets are treated fairly. These undertakings require Ticketmaster to:

  • Tell fans 24 hours in advance if a tiered pricing system is being used (as it was for Oasis standing tickets). This means fans will know beforehand if there are multiple prices for the same type of ticket, and that more expensive ones will be released once the cheapest sell out.
  • Provide more information about ticket prices during online queues, helping fans anticipate how much they might have to pay. This includes setting out the range of prices available for the event when people join the queue and updating fans swiftly when the cheaper tickets sell out. Additional information to help fans make the best decisions for them will also be given about the prices of tickets sold using tiered pricing.
  • Not use any misleading ticket labels. Ticketmaster will ensure that tickets are described accurately and do not give the impression that one ticket is better than another when that is not the case.
  • Provide regular reports to the CMA. Ticketmaster will regularly report how it has implemented the undertakings over the next 2 years to ensure robust compliance. Failure to take forward these measures could result in enforcement action.

“The measures send a clear message to all ticketing websites that fans must have access to clear and timely pricing information with accurate ticket descriptions, especially where there are different pricing models and queues in play,” said the CMA.

CMA CEO Sarah Cardell said that fans who spend their hard-earned money to see artists they love deserve to see clear, accurate information, upfront: “The changes we’ve secured will give fans more information about prices and clear descriptions of exactly what they are getting for their money. If Ticketmaster fails to deliver on these changes, we won’t hesitate to take further action.”

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