16 July 2025

Oasis, Algorithms and the ASA: What dynamic pricing means now the tour is in full swing 

When Oasis (finally) announced their reunion tour, ticket buying fans reignited a national debate over dynamic ticket pricing. Prices surged by the second, frustration flared, and Ticketmaster’s algorithms became the unlikely villain in a Britpop saga. 

Now the shows have kicked off, the very fans who swore off buying at an increased fee on release day are paying twice that on resale platforms. So, was dynamic pricing really the problem? Or is the real issue a lack of transparency and trust? 

What Is Dynamic Pricing? 

Dynamic pricing (or surge pricing) is the practice of adjusting prices in real time based on demand. Common in the travel industry, it’s now increasingly used for live events — thanks to AI and real-time data modelling. 

For promoters and ticketing platforms, opting into dynamic pricing is often as simple as ticking a box. Once active, ticket prices will vary in response to consumer interest. 

The Legal Lowdown 

Dynamic pricing is legal in the UK, but it must comply with key consumer protection laws. These include: 

  • The Consumer Rights Act 2015, which requires transparency and prohibits misleading pricing. 
  • The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, which strengthens enforcement against unfair practices in online marketplaces. 

If ticket prices are going to fluctuate, that must be clearly communicated upfront, not hidden away in FAQs or buried in terms and conditions. If prices hike without warning at checkout, or if advertised prices are misleading, promoters and sellers risk breaching the acts. 

The ASA Angle: What About Advertising? 

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has a clear role in monitoring how tickets are promoted. While it doesn’t regulate pricing itself, it does regulate how pricing is presented to consumers. 

Under the CAP Code: 

  • Claims like “tickets from £80” must reflect a meaningful availability of that price. 
  • Ads must not mislead through omission or ambiguity — particularly around mechanisms like dynamic pricing. 

Marketing a tour without highlighting dynamic pricing risks breaching ASA rules, even if the pricing model itself is legal. Especially an event as culturally significant as an Oasis reunion with fans acting as stakeholders. 

From Complaints to Resale: The Ironic Reality 

The irony? Many of the same fans who balked at paying inflated dynamic prices on day one are now forking out even more on resale platforms like Viagogo and StubHub. 

By refusing to engage with dynamic pricing, many simply pushed demand into the hands of resellers. In some cases, seats originally listed at £150 now fetch upwards of £1000 on the secondary market. 

On the flip aside, dynamic pricing may be reducing opportunities for touts. When tickets are sold closer to their true market value from the outset, there’s less arbitrage to exploit. While not a silver bullet, dynamic pricing – if done transparently – can blunt the blade of the resale market. 

So… Was It Worth It? 

We’re now deep into the Oasis reunion tour, and the conversation has shifted. Fans who secured official tickets (even at dynamic prices) are counting themselves lucky. Those still hunting for seats are facing far higher costs, less protection, and more risk. 

The lack of upfront transparency, sudden price hikes, and technical issues on launch day were legitimate causes for concern. But, as is often the case, the longer-term picture is more nuanced. 

The overall takeaway seems to be that transparency matters; especially in the wild-west of ticket sales. Fans deserve to know what they’re buying, how prices are set, and what to expect when tickets go live.  

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