The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) opened an investigation into Ticketmaster’s Oasis ticket sale in September 2024, but it is now closed. The CMA found no evidence that Ticketmaster used an algorithm to change prices in real time. Its concerns instead focused on how standing-ticket price tiers and “platinum” tickets were explained to buyers. Ticketmaster made voluntary commitments to improve that information, without admitting wrongdoing or liability.
Who investigated Ticketmaster, and what happened?
The original headline described an investigation that was just beginning. It was the CMA—not a government department—that opened the consumer-protection case on 5 September 2024. The government later ran a separate policy process on live-event pricing.
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| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| 31 August 2024 | Oasis reunion-tour tickets went on sale through Ticketmaster. Fans reported difficulty and surprise at prices. The CMA later said cheaper standing tickets sold out before higher-priced standing tickets became available. |
| 5 September 2024 | The CMA opened an investigation into whether Ticketmaster used unfair commercial practices and gave customers clear, timely information about price variation and what they would pay. The CMA stressed that opening an investigation did not mean the company had broken the law. CMA investigation announcement. |
| 13 November 2024 | The CMA launched a separate, cross-sector project examining how and when dynamic pricing is used. It was a general review, not an enforcement investigation, and was separate from the Oasis case. |
| 25 March 2025 | The CMA published its concerns and sought changes from Ticketmaster. It said it had found no evidence of algorithmic real-time price adjustment. |
| 25 September 2025 | The CMA announced voluntary undertakings from Ticketmaster and closed the investigation. The undertakings were made without an admission of wrongdoing or liability. |
Did Ticketmaster use dynamic pricing for Oasis tickets?
The CMA said it found no evidence that Ticketmaster used an algorithm to adjust Oasis ticket prices in real time in response to demand. That distinction matters: a price rising during a sale does not, by itself, prove algorithmic dynamic pricing.
Dynamic pricing versus tiered pricing
With dynamic pricing, a price may be adjusted during a sale in response to changing demand signals. With tiered pricing, different prices may be set in advance, with one allocation offered after another sells out. The CMA described the Oasis standing-ticket sale as the latter: lower-priced tickets were offered first, and higher-priced tickets became available after the cheaper allocation sold out. The government also cautioned that this sequence alone is not proof of real-time dynamic pricing. Government response on live-events pricing practices.
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For buyers, the key questions are when prices were set, what caused a change, what information was available before joining a queue and before paying, and whether different ticket categories actually offered different locations or benefits.
What concerned the CMA?
Standing-ticket price tiers
The CMA said fans waiting in long online queues were not clearly told that standing tickets were being sold at two prices or that the price could rise when the lower-priced allocation sold out. Its concern was whether people could understand the likely price range before making a pressured purchase decision.
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“Platinum” ticket descriptions
The CMA said some seated tickets labelled “platinum” cost nearly 2.5 times as much as equivalent standard tickets, without sufficient explanation that they offered no additional benefits and were often in the same area of the stadium. The concern was that the label could suggest the tickets were better when they were not.
What did Ticketmaster agree to change?
Ticketmaster gave the CMA voluntary undertakings. The measures require clearer information at points where it can help buyers make an informed choice:
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- At least 24 hours before a sale, tell fans if tiered pricing will be used and explain what it means.
- Show the range of available ticket prices when a customer joins an online queue.
- Give regular updates during the sale, including when cheaper tickets sell out.
- Explain clearly what each ticket includes and whether one ticket is better than another.
The CMA said the undertakings would be implemented within six weeks at the latest. The government’s response says Ticketmaster must report regularly to the CMA over the following two years; ineffective implementation could lead to further enforcement action.
Did the CMA find that Ticketmaster broke the law or fine the company?
No. The CMA said the case produced no finding that consumer law had been infringed. Ticketmaster’s undertakings were voluntary and made without an admission of liability. The official outcome describes no fine or award of refunds to fans.
The CMA’s direct consumer-enforcement powers came into force in April 2025 and can include fines of up to 10% of global turnover for applicable breaches. The CMA said those powers did not apply retrospectively to the Oasis investigation, which proceeded under the previous enforcement framework. This does not mean Ticketmaster was fined or found to have breached the law in this case.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Did the government ban dynamic ticket pricing?
No. The government said it did not intend to introduce new legislation on pricing practices in the live-events sector, because existing consumer law already requires clear and accurate price information before purchase. It said it would continue monitoring the industry and expects ticketing businesses to act on the CMA’s findings and guidance.
The government’s 2025 response recorded 105 stakeholder submissions. Respondents raised issues including upfront price transparency, frustration with dynamic and tiered pricing, market concentration, confusion about ticket terms and sellers, and redress when purchases go wrong. These are themes in the submissions, not a representative survey of ticket buyers.
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