Oasis blames promoters for ticket fiasco after announcing new dates

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Oasis, the reformed Britpop band, has blamed decisions made on ticketing and pricing on its promoters and management after widespread outrage among fans forced to pay hundreds of pounds more for tickets under so-called dynamic pricing.

In a statement made on Wednesday after announcing two extra shows, the band said it had “at no time had any awareness that dynamic pricing was going to be used”.

Oasis will hold two further Wembley Stadium shows in September 2025 after acknowledging the “immense frustration and disappointment for fans who missed out after queueing for many hours”.

The reunion of Noel and Liam Gallagher on stage for the first time in 16 years sparked massive interest among fans, both old and new.

More than 10mn fans from 158 countries queued to buy tickets, but many were left angered after being made to wait for hours only to find that they were either kicked out of the system or told to pay hundreds more given the use of dynamic pricing by Ticketmaster.

Under this system, the latter tranches of tickets are sold at higher prices as demand surges, despite not affording any additional benefits. 

The statement said prior meetings between the tour’s promoters, its management and Ticketmaster had “resulted in a positive ticket sale strategy, which would be a fair experience for fans, including dynamic ticketing to help keep general ticket prices down as well as reduce touting”.

But Oasis added that “the execution of the plan failed to meet expectations . . . all parties involved did their utmost to deliver the best possible fan experience, but due to the unprecedented demand this became impossible to achieve”.

Applications to join the ballot for the new gigs will be opened first to the fans who were unsuccessful in the initial sale with Ticketmaster.

The English shows are co-promoted by Live Nation and SJM Concerts. Neither responded to immediate requests for comment following Oasis’s announcement. In a statement to the Financial Times earlier this week, Live Nation said “all ticket prices . . . are set by the tour”. SJM Concerts has not responded to requests for comment.

The name of Oasis’s manager was not disclosed. Ignition Management lists Noel Gallagher and Oasis as clients, but did not respond to a request for comment.