S Poddar
It was meant to be the biggest reunion tour of 2024 – and Oasis had barely announced its comeback a week ago. But this highly anticipated reunion turned awry with thousands of irate fans blasting the dynamic pricing policy of tickets, which Ticketmaster has adopted. Things spiralled out of control last Saturday, 31 August, after tickets to the reunion went on sale, as loyal fans were left in a muddle all day.
Ticketmaster, the very name known for its dynamic pricing model, left many fans disbelieving and shocked. People who had entered a pre-sale lottery filled with excitement then found themselves refreshing the page for hours on end, some even spending as high as 15 hours just to leave without a ticket in hand. The cruel realities of life showed that tickets went out of stock minutes after 7 PM-this after hours of virtual queueing.
The frustration for people was added to by the few who actually managed to get tickets, as they were up in arms following the experience of the shock regarding ticket prices. Prices initially confirmed by Oasis to be £150 for a general admission standing ticket had shot up to as much as £355. This massive rise in price was thanks to Ticketmaster’s dynamic pricing system-a policy that varies prices in response to changes in the level of demand. The system has come under tremendous criticism for inflating prices, many times even up to as much as scalpers might charge, with all of the profits remaining in the hands of the seller and artist.
This pricing strategy is entirely legal under consumer protection laws, but fans have reacted with widespread anger to what they perceive is a system invariably rigged against them. The Independent has approached both the band and Ticketmaster for comment but, as far as many on social media are concerned, the damage has been done.
BBC presenter Dan Walker was typical of such voices of consternation on social media. “There has got to be a fairer, simpler, more efficient way of selling tickets that isn’t so open to touts, scammers, resellers & bots,” he tweeted. Experiences like Walker’s were common among fans who detailed the maddening process of being kicked out of the line, accused of being a bot, and then being timed out.
Fans immediately rallied around Walker’s post, sharing their own horror stories from the day. One fan mourned, “That feeling when you wait in a queue for four hours only to be told the price of the ticket has risen from £148 to. £355??? Because they’re ‘in demand’. How is this not illegal?” Another fan couldn’t believe his eyes: “How was your Saturday? 15 hours later still 0 tickets. Systems rigged and Ticketmaster with their demand £400 standing tickets!! I hope Oasis release more dates.”
The complaints continued streaming in. “Absolute disgusting behaviour,” declared one fan, who waited two hours in the queue only to be booted out by Ticketmaster, which in turn thought he was a bot. The frustration and despair were palpable as fans called on Oasis to intervene and set things right.
One thing is for sure, though-the fans feel betrayed, and not just by Ticketmaster, but by a system that lets such practices occur. With so much dust gathering around this chaotic ticket sale, one seriously wonders if Oasis is really going to walk in and take charge of the situation or if their finally getting back together for a reunion tour will take a bad turn because of the shadow of this ticketing mess.
Fan anger and disappointment have meanwhile only continued to mount, with most taking to social media to call for action. It remains to be seen whether Oasis will answer; one thing, however, is sure: the repercussions of this pricing disaster are anything but over.
