Ticketmaster has agreed to making a major change to its sales rules after an outcry over ‘rip-off’ Oasis reunion tickets sparked a watchdog probe.

The ticket selling behemoth was criticised by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) following claims it sold ‘platinum tickets’ at two and a half times the price of ‘standard’ ones – despite them being the same. 

Oasis fans were also not told that ticket prices for the Britpop legends’ reunion gig would rise as cheaper option sold out. 

Ticketmaster’s sales strategy for the sell-out showcase left fans furious and later sparked an investigation by competition regulator the CMA. 

Now, the company has promised to make sweeping changes following the outcome of the probe. 

Future fans will now be told about the range of prices for concert tickets when they join a queue, as well as being informed when the cheaper seats sell out.

Buyers will also be told at least 24 hours before a sale begins if tiered pricing will be used and what that means, the CMA said.

The watchdog said the formal commitments from Ticketmaster would ‘make sure fans have the information they need when they spend their hard-earned cash to see the artists they love’.

Ticketmaster has agreed to making a major change to its sales rules after an outcry over ‘rip-off’ Oasis reunion tickets sparked a watchdog probe (pictured is Liam Gallagher on the opening night of the Live ’25 Tour in Cardiff on July 4)

The CMA had previously threatened legal action in March over complaints about how tickets for the Oasis tour were sold. Over 900,000 went on sale in August last year.  

The probe found Ticketmaster did not tell fans waiting in lengthy queues that standing tickets were being sold at two different prices, and that prices would jump as soon as the cheap tickets sold out.

Ticketmaster sold some ‘platinum’ tickets at almost two and a half times the price of ‘standard’ tickets, without sufficient explanation that these offered no additional benefits and were in the same areas of the venue, the CMA said.

In response, the CMA said Ticketmaster must now 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.

Ticketmaster must also 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.

Ticketmaster must also describe tickets accurately and not use any misleading labels to avoid giving the impression that one ticket is better than another when that is not the case.

Some 900,000 tickets were sold to fans seeking to attend the Oasis reunion gig (pictured are crowds at the band’s show in Wembley stadium on July 24)

The ticket sales giant must now regularly report how it has implemented the undertakings over the next two years to ensure ‘robust’ compliance, with any failure to do so resulting in possible enforcement action.

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 such as high demand – also known as ‘dynamic pricing’, the CMA had not found evidence that this was the case.

CMA chief executive Sarah Cardell 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 Ticketmaster had made the commitments voluntarily and without any admission of wrongdoing or liability.

A spokesman for Ticketmaster added: ‘We welcome the CMA’s confirmation there was no dynamic pricing, no unfair practices and that we did not breach consumer law. 

‘To further improve the customer experience, we’ve voluntarily committed to clearer communication about ticket prices in queues.

‘This builds on our capped resale, strong bot protection, and clear pricing displays – and we encourage the CMA to hold the entire industry to these same standards.’