A Labour MP is advocating for a change in the law to enhance pricing transparency for event tickets, following backlash from Oasis fans.
The proposed Sale of Tickets (Sporting and Cultural Events) Bill has been introduced in the House of Commons. This move comes after the use of “dynamic pricing” left some fans paying unexpectedly high prices for tickets to Oasis’s reunion concerts.
Labour MP Rupa Huq aims to amend the law to ensure transparency and protect fans from being overcharged.
Oasis’s 2025 UK and Ireland tour, which includes three dates at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium, has sold out. However, concerns arose when standard ticket prices surged from £148 to £355. The band stated they were unaware of the dynamic pricing strategy, while Ticketmaster claimed that “all ticket prices are set by the tour.”
The Government and the UK’s competition watchdog have committed to investigating this practice. Ms Huq, representing Ealing Central and Acton, expressed her dismay: “As a lifelong music fan, I was shocked by the recent situation where people queued for hours for Oasis tickets. The pressure is immense when you finally reach the front of the queue only to find the ticket price has skyrocketed.”
She continued: “From a consumer protection standpoint, our constituents deserve certainty. This Bill would ensure a maximum ticket price is visible from the start of the purchasing process.”
Ms Huq, who attended Oasis concerts in the 1990s, added: “There should be predictability, especially during a cost-of-living crisis. The current system feels unbalanced, allowing ticket merchants to inflate prices excessively.”
She is currently drafting the Bill with input from pressure groups and industry bodies who agree it’s time for change. “This proposal doesn’t ban dynamic pricing but introduces transparency and certainty,” she clarified.
The Bill has garnered cross-party support and may be further discussed in the House of Commons on December 6. However, without Government backing, it may not advance in its present form. Ministers have announced plans to consult on the secondary ticket market this autumn, acknowledging that dynamic pricing can offer benefits like cheaper early bird tickets.
