CMA secures changes from Ticketmaster following Oasis tickets investigation
Fans will have accurate information about the benefits of different types of tickets and more information about pricing before and during sales.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has secured formal commitments from Ticketmaster, known as undertakings, to make sure fans have the information they need when they spend their hard-earned cash to see the artists they love. Ticketmaster will make it clear to fans what they will get for their money and give more information about different ticket prices.
Following widespread concerns about the Oasis sale, the CMA launched an investigation into the way Ticketmaster sold Oasis tickets. It identified concerns in 2 areas:
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Ticketmaster did not tell fans waiting in lengthy queues that standing tickets were being sold at 2 different prices, and that prices would jump as soon as the cheap tickets sold out.
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Ticketmaster sold some ‘platinum’ tickets at almost 2.5 times the price of ‘standard’ tickets – without sufficient explanation that these offered no additional benefits over some ‘standard’ tickets in the same areas of the venue.
In response, the CMA has secured undertakings to ensure fans buying tickets are treated fairly. These undertakings require Ticketmaster to:
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
These measures send a clear message to all ticketing websites that fans must have access to clear and timely pricing information with accurate ticket descriptions, especially where there are different pricing models and queues in play. The CMA recognises the importance of live events for fans and will continue to monitor practices building on previous work in this area.
Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the Competition and Markets Authority, 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.
These undertakings have been provided to the CMA voluntarily and without any admission of wrongdoing or liability. Ticketmaster has stopped using ‘platinum’ labels in the UK, separate to providing undertakings.
While many fans were under the impression that Ticketmaster used an algorithmic pricing model during the Oasis sale – with ticket prices adjusted in real time according to changing conditions like high demand – also known as ‘dynamic pricing’, the CMA has not found evidence that this was the case.
Under the new consumer regime that came into force in April 2025, the CMA will be able to fine companies up to 10% of their turnover if they break consumer law. The regime does not apply retrospectively.
The CMA cannot advise on individual complaints – anyone seeking advice or support should contact the relevant consumer advice organisation in their area.
For more information visit the Ticketmaster investigation case page.
Summary of changes
With more and more artists announcing big tours, it’s important that fans are aware of what they can expect going forward. The table below sets out the CMA’s concerns about the sale of Oasis tickets by Ticketmaster and what is changing.
| CMA’s concerns about the Oasis ticket sale | What fans can expect in the future |
|---|---|
| Ticketmaster did not tell fans that standing tickets were being sold at 2 different prices, and that once the cheaper ones had sold out only more expensive ones would be available. | Fans will be told at least 24 hours before a sale begins if tiered pricing will be used and what that means. |
| Ticketmaster didn’t tell fans how much tickets would cost while they were waiting in long online queues. | Fans will know the range of prices for tickets when they join a queue and be told when the cheaper tickets sell out through regular updates. |
| Ticketmaster sold some tickets as ‘platinum’ without sufficient explanation that they did not offer additional benefits over some ‘standard’ tickets which were in the same area of the venue. | Fans will be clear on what they will get and if one ticket is better than another. |
Notes to editors:
- Ticketmaster is a business which sells and supplies tickets to consumers for a range of third-party events via its website and mobile application in the UK. It sold tickets for the ‘Oasis Live ‘25’ tour.
- ‘Primary’ tickets are tickets which are being sold for the first time, at the original price for tickets as determined by artists, event organisers or box offices. ‘Secondary’ tickets are those which are resold after their original sale, often (but not always) at prices other than the original ‘face value’.
- These undertakings have been provided to the CMA voluntarily and without any admission of wrongdoing or liability. The undertakings will be implemented within 6 weeks at the latest. The CMA has not made any findings about whether consumer law has been infringed.
- The CMA has taken various action in the ticketing sector, in particular to improve the way secondary ticketing platforms operate, including securing changes from StubHub and Viagogo. It has published a report into secondary ticketing websites with recommendations on how government can further protect fans and recently responded to the government’s consultation on the resale of live event tickets. It is also developing new guidance to improve price transparency for shoppers.
- The CMA’s investigation was opened in September 2024 under its previous consumer law powers – where it enforces consumer law through the courts. In April 2025, the CMA was given new consumer law powers, which will enable it to decide when consumer law has been broken without taking a case to court. It is also now able to fine firms that break consumer law up to 10% of their turnover. However, the CMA cannot use its new powers retrospectively, so the investigation took place under previous powers.
- All media enquiries should be directed to the CMA press office by email on press@cma.gov.uk, or by phone on 020 3738 6460.