Oasis have announced they are canceling thousands of tickets sold on secondary markets for their UK reunion concerts. The BBC, citing the show’s promoter, Live Nation, reports that 50,000 tickets are up for grabs.
According to the promoter, all canceled tickets will be available again through the official sales platform, Ticketmaster, at the normal price.
Since announcing the concerts in August, Oasis have stated that they would fight second-hand ticket selling websites. Of the 1.4 million tickets sold for shows in the United Kingdom, 50,000 ended up being resold, according to the English press. 10 million fans from 158 countries stood in long lines, leaving the official platforms overwhelmed by demand, generating discontent among fans, who reported problems and many difficulties in acquiring tickets. Within hours, thousands of tickets appeared on resale platforms at inflated prices.
How do the dynamic prices that surprised Oasis fans work and why are they illegal in Portugal (despite having already been requested)?
At the time, the band warned its fans to avoid unauthorized resale sites through a statement on social media: “Since pre-sales began, we have noticed that there are people trying to sell tickets on the secondary market.” They continued: “Please note that tickets can ONLY be resold, at face value, via @Ticketmaster and @Twickets. Promoters will cancel tickets sold in violation of the terms and conditions.”
Now, prosecutors allege that there are those who violated the established terms and conditions. Speaking to the BBC, a LiveNation spokesperson said: “These terms and conditions have been successfully implemented to crack down on secondary ticketing companies who resell tickets for huge profits. Only four percent of tickets ended up on resale sites. On some major tours, up to 20% of tickets may be sold through major unauthorized secondary platforms.”
Despite the warning from Oasis promoters, a major secondary ticketing company, Viagogo, says it will continue selling tickets for the tour. Reselling tickets in the UK is legal, as long as the tickets were purchased legitimately and laws are in place to protect consumers, the BBC notes.
Tickets for the Oasis reunion concerts had already been the subject of controversy from day one, thanks to the “dynamic pricing” policy imposed by Ticketmaster.
The band, led by brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher, announced the reunion in August, ending a 15-year silence. The Britpop giants will reunite in 2025 for the first time since 2009 for a series of sold-out shows in London, Manchester, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Dublin. The tour then continues through Canada, the United States, Mexico and Australia.
Source: Observadora
