The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has secured a series of commitments from Ticketmaster aimed at protecting music fans, following an investigation into the Oasis ticket sale controversy last summer.
The action comes after the CMA threatened legal proceedings against Ticketmaster over concerns that the company sold “platinum” tickets for the Oasis tour at almost 2.5 times the price of standard tickets — without making it clear that these tickets offered no extra benefits.
Additionally, Ticketmaster was criticised for failing to warn fans that there were two categories of standing tickets available at different price points, leading to confusion and frustration among customers.
Under the new undertakings, Ticketmaster must now provide clear, upfront information to customers, ensuring fans understand exactly what they are paying for before making a purchase.
A CMA spokesperson said the measures will ensure music fans have “the information they need when they spend their hard-earned cash to see the artists they love.”
Ticketmaster has now pledged 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.
Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the CMA, said:
“Fans who spend their hard-earned money to see artists they love deserve to see clear, accurate information, upfront. We can’t ensure every fan gets a ticket for events as popular as the Oasis tour, but we can help ensure that next time an event like this comes along, fans have the information they need, when they need it.”
“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.”
The CMA said these reforms are designed to restore trust in the ticketing process and prevent a repeat of the problems seen during the Oasis sale.
