Labour MP Kate Osborne has also hit out at Ticketmaster, claiming she wrote to the distribution company’s governing body earlier this year after a constituent was reportedly charged “133% higher than the standard ticket price” for an AC/DC concert.
“Many, including myself, have now experienced the same – after waiting hours in the online queue for Oasis tickets, prices for a standing ticket were more than doubled,” she told the Big Issue.
Osborne described the issue of surge pricing as “disgraceful”, claiming she is pleased ministers will be looking into the issue with a review.
“I have been a longtime supporter of Music Venue Trust and their work to protect grassroots and the live music network,” she added. “They have pointed out that only 11 of the 34 grassroots music venues that Oasis played on their first tour are still open – and that this latest sale of Oasis tickets has done nothing to support grassroots venues.
“We must do more to ensure music is accessible for the masses and invest in these grassroots venues that often give huge bands like Oasis their start.
“People are already struggling financially, particularly in deprived areas like Jarrow and Gateshead East – the last thing they need is to be taken advantage of by ticketing agents, touts and artists when they are looking to have that treat or for a special occasion.”
Mark Davyd, CEO of the Music Venue Trust, explained that dynamic pricing is a “complex issue” and an “artist decision”, and was created as a response to secondary ticketing, or ticket touts.
“Dynamic pricing… is a method by which artists can be the beneficiaries of the additional fees some fans are prepared to pay to secure tickets rather than a third party ticketing agency taking advantage of a resale,” Davyd explained.
“In and of itself, therefore, there is a reason it exists and it is about ensuring artists are receiving whatever remuneration is available for the work they are delivering.
“What doesn’t seem to be reasonable is that people could be caught up in dynamic pricing without being told that this is the market they are in. If you join a queue for a £150 ticket and are told when you get to the front of that queue that it is now a £350 ticket, that seems entirely unreasonable.”
He added that “restrictive practices that make artists unavailable” has led to prices that put live music “out of reach for most people”, and is creating a “gentrification of live music”.
“Music belongs to all of us, in all our towns and cities,” he said.
The proposed investigation into Ticketmaster’s surge pricing comes after the US senate held a hearing in 2023 concerning the lack of competition in the ticketing industry after demand for Taylor Swift tickets resulted in a service failure.
Democratic senator Amy Klobuchar said at the time: “The high fees, site disruptions and cancellations that customers experienced shows how Ticketmaster’s dominant market position means the company does not face any pressure to continually innovate and improve.
“That’s why we will hold a hearing on how consolidation in the live entertainment and ticketing industry harms customers and artists alike. When there is no competition to incentivise better services and fair prices, we all suffer the consequences.”
Artists including Enter Shikari, Frank Turner and Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly have also blasted Ticketmaster’s surge pricing, with Sam Duckworth (Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly) criticising the “greed” of surge pricing.
“The industry needs to save face, avoid statutory regulation and hurry up before we lose more venues, tours, promoters, artists and fans,” Duckworth wrote on X.
Describing dynamic pricing as “a legal touting service”, musician Alex Lipinski added: “Ticketmaster are a Mafia. To change a price from £150 to £356 while still on sale due to being ‘in-demand’ is scandalous.
“Whilst warning of unofficial sites hiking the price up with themselves doing exactly the same. How much longer can they get away with it?”
On its website, Ticketmaster said: “Prices are adjusted according to supply and demand. The goal is to give fans fair and safe access to the best tickets while enabling artists and other people involved in staging live events to price tickets closer to their true market value.”
The Big Issue has contacted Ticketmaster for comment.
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