Ticketmaster’s ‘dynamic pricing’ outrage attracts UK government scrutiny

Lauren Taylor

THE U.K GOVERNMENT IS TURNING UP THE VOLUME ON TICKETMASTER.

LAUNCHING AN INVESTIGATION AFTER OASIS FANS WERE LEFT FUMING OVER THE TICKET-BUYING EXPERIENCE FOR THE BAND’S HIGHLY ANTICIPATED REUNION TOUR.

MANY SAW PRICES SURGE FROM ABOUT 180-DOLLARS TO 460-DOLLARS

DUE TO “DYNAMIC PRICING.”

SOME QUESTIONED WHY THE BAND WAS WARNING AGAINST BUYING FROM UNAUTHORIZED RESALE SITES WHILE ALLOWING TICKETMASTER TO SELL TICKETS AT SUCH INFLATED PRICES. 

U.K. CULTURE MINISTER LISA NANDY, WEIGHED IN ON THE CONTROVERSY, CALLING IT “DEPRESSING” THAT SO MANY FANS WERE BEING PRICED OUT. SHE PROMISED THE GOVERNMENT WOULD ADDRESS ISSUES AROUND DYNAMIC PRICING IN A UPCOMING CONSULTATION ON CONSUMER PROTECTIONS FOR TICKET RESALES. 

TICKETMASTER DEFENDS ITS PRICING MODEL, EXPLAINING THAT ITS “PLATINUM” TICKETS ARE PRICED BASED ON DEMAND AND THAT THE PRICES ARE ACTUALLY SET BY EVENT ORGANIZERS, NOT THE COMPANY ITSELF. 

THE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT REPRESENTING OASIS’S HOMETOWN OF MANCHESTER, FOUND HERSELF PAYING MORE THAN SHE’D LIKE FOR A TICKET. SHE ADMITTED TO THEBBCSHE’S NOT A FAN OF SURGE PRICING, BUT IT’S JUST HOW THE MARKET OPERATES RIGHT NOW. 

THIS IS JUST THE LATEST FLASHPOINT FOR TICKETMASTER. THE COMPANY HAS FACED BACKLASH SEVERAL TIMES OVER TICKET SALES. MOST RECENTLY UNDER FIRE IN THE U.S. AFTER A CHAOTIC SALE FOR TAYLOR SWIFT’S ERA’S TOUR,” WHICH LED TO A SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE HEARING AND A LAWSUIT FROM THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT EARLIER THIS YEAR. 

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