Ireland’s Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) announced today, Friday, September 6, that it has opened an investigation into Ticketmaster Ireland and its handling of the sale of Oasis tickets.
The investigation follows a review of more than 100 complaints received by the CCPC helpline.
Brian McHugh, Chair of the CCPC, said on Friday: “The CCPC has reviewed more than 100 contacts from consumers who are very disappointed and frustrated about their experience of buying tickets for Oasis concerts.
"While companies in Ireland are allowed to respond to market demand, there are legitimate concerns over how consumers were treated and we have decided that an in-depth investigation is necessary.
"If we find that consumer protection laws were broken we will take action.
"The CCPC is grateful to consumers who have taken the time to call or email our helpline to share their experiences with us as their stories have helped us develop a picture of last weekend’s events.”
The CCPC said it would welcome written comments and any supporting materials from consumers about their experience of buying, or attempting to buy, Oasis tickets on the weekend of August 31. Consumers can send this to the investigation team at [email protected]
The CCPC added that it cannot provide further comment at this time.
We have opened an investigation into Ticketmaster Ireland and its handling of the sale of #Oasis tickets on the weekend of 31 August 2024.
Contact [email protected] with your experience of buying Oasis tickets. No further comment can be made at this time.#Oasis2025 pic.twitter.com/gIFjpeQeeU
— CCPC (@CCPCIreland) September 6, 2024
The CPCC's announcement comes the day after the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it had launched its own investigation into Ticketmaster "regarding the sale of Oasis tickets ... including how so-called ‘dynamic pricing’ may have been used."
Following years of speculation, the iconic British rock group - fronted by brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher - announced on August 27 that not only was the band reuniting, but they would be performing a number of concerts next summer, including two at Dublin's Croke Park.
Ticket sales for the two Irish gigs began on Saturday, August 31 at 8 am local time, while tickets for the UK shows went on sale an hour later. Some fans, however, were lucky enough to receive a presale code for the night prior.
On the Saturday morning, hundreds of thousands of eager fans logged on to Ticketmaster.ie - many were ultimately faced with 'waiting rooms' and lengthy queues.
As the Associated Press notes, many fans ended up paying about $470 for standard tickets as opposed to the advertised price of about $195 due to 'dynamic pricing,' which adjusts prices due to demand.
Reuters reports that Ticketmaster has said that for concert tickets, artists or promoters are responsible for determining the number of tickets and set the face value price of tickets. They can opt for dynamic pricing if they want and it is implemented once Ticketmaster gets their approval.
On Thursday, Oasis claimed to have not known that dynamic pricing would be used and acknowledged that the execution of the ticketing plan “failed to meet expectations.”
“It needs to be made clear that Oasis leave decisions on ticketing and pricing entirely to their promoters and management, and at no time had any awareness that dynamic pricing was going to be used," the band said in a statement to the AP.
Meanwhile, the US government and dozens of states sued Live Nation and its subsidiary Ticketmaster earlier this year, alleging that they "engaged in numerous forms of anticompetitive conduct."
On Friday, the same day Ireland's CPCC announced its investigation, frontman Liam Gallagher caught some flak for his comments about ticket sales.
Oasis has announced an additional three dates in the UK, though no word yet on additional Irish dates.
"Oasis are back ... and I hear there [sp] ATTITUDE STINKS," Liam said in his trademark style on X on Friday.
OASIS are back your welcome and I hear there ATTITUDE STINKS good to know something’s never change LFUCKING x
— Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) September 6, 2024
When one person - presumably tongue in cheek - asked Liam on X if he had any spare tickets, the rocker replied: "Shit loads but there really expensive 100 thousand pounds Kneeling only."
Shit loads but there really expensive 100 thousand pounds Kneeling only
— Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) September 6, 2024
"Shut up" he replied to another post that accused Oasis of 'ripping off' their fans.
SHUTUP
— Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) September 6, 2024
Another asked how his mother - Peggy Gallagher, a native of Co Mayo - felt about the reunion.
"She's gutted she couldn't get a ticket," Liam quipped in reply.
She’s gutted she couldn’t get a ticket
— Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) September 6, 2024
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