CMA Raises Concerns Over Ticketmaster’s Ticketing Practices Amid Oasis Sale

Competition watchdog highlights potential consumer protection law breaches related to pricing and transparency during ticket sales.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has expressed significant concerns regarding Ticketmaster's sales practices during the recent Oasis concerts, where over 900,000 tickets were sold.

The watchdog's investigation revealed that Ticketmaster may have violated consumer protection laws by designating specific seated tickets as 'platinum' and pricing them at nearly two and a half times the cost of equivalent standard tickets.

These 'platinum' tickets, the CMA noted, did not provide additional benefits compared to standard offerings and were often situated in similar areas within the stadium.

The CMA pointed out that Ticketmaster failed to adequately inform consumers about the existence of two categories of standing tickets that were available at differing price points.

All cheaper standing tickets were sold prior to the availability of the more expensive options, leading to confusion among fans who faced long wait times prior to making purchasing decisions, often without a clear understanding of the pricing structure.

While many consumers believed that ticket prices fluctuated in real time due to high demand, the CMA found no evidence to support the use of an algorithmic pricing model by Ticketmaster during the Oasis sale.

The competition authority further noted the lack of clarity and timely information provided to consumers regarding the pricing of the standing tickets, exacerbating the confusion for fans already navigating lengthy queues in anticipation of purchases.

Ticketmaster has made some adjustments to its ticket sales processes, but the CMA stated that these modifications do not currently meet their standards for transparency.

As a result, the CMA is engaging in discussions with Ticketmaster to implement further changes concerning how tickets are labeled and the information shared with customers prior to and during sales.

In a statement, Hayley Fletcher, interim senior director of consumer protection at the CMA, emphasized the importance of providing fans with accurate information to facilitate informed purchasing decisions.

Fletcher noted that the input from the CMA aims to help ensure fair treatment of customers across ticketing platforms.

Ticketmaster UK responded to the CMA's findings, reaffirming its commitment to delivering a straightforward and consumer-friendly ticketing platform, and welcoming the CMA’s guidance in enhancing the industry's standards for fan experience.