The Oasis 2025 Tour Tickets Controversy, Explained

As a seasoned concert-goer and a longtime fan of the legendary rock band Oasis, I must say that the recent ticket debacle for their 2025 U.K. and Ireland tour has left me feeling a bit like a lone rider caught in a storm – lost, bewildered, and slightly soaked from the digital rain.

15 years after their split, legendary rock band Oasis declared on August 27th that they would reunite for a U.K. and Ireland tour in 2025. This announcement of Liam and Noel Gallagher, the brothers who were once at odds, performing together again has sparked excitement—yet not without stirring up some debate.

news about the tour triggered an “extraordinary interest” in getting tickets, causing the band to schedule additional concerts in the U.K. and Ireland. However, the process of obtaining tickets through Ticketmaster has been complicated by technical problems, price concerns, and ticket resellers.

Here’s a breakdown of the Oasis ticketing controversy and where things currently stand.

Issues with Ticketmaster

On Friday, August 30th, fans who had been chosen in the preliminary lottery stood in line on Ticketmaster, a global leader in concert and sports tickets, before the three-hour window for presale purchases began. However, numerous fans expressed frustration on X (formerly Twitter), as they encountered technical issues that hindered their ability to purchase tickets. Some users experienced problems with their Ticketmaster accounts, such as being locked out or virtually waiting behind tens of thousands of people, only to be removed from the queue or receive an error message once they reached the checkout stage for ticket purchases.

When the tickets went on general sale on Saturday, Aug. 31, fans complained of the same issues.

Louis Tomlinson, a well-known Oasis fan and former member of One Direction, joined the discussion during the Italian Grand Prix on Saturday. He mentioned that he had lined up for reunion tour tickets but unfortunately didn’t get a pre-sale access code.

Apart from issues with queues and technical glitches, there’s been criticism over the ticket prices as well. Within an hour of the presale, tickets were already being resold online for three times their original cost.

In a recent statement, Oasis addressed the ongoing debate about X and ticket prices, advising fans that they can only resell tickets at their original price through specific online platforms. The band warned that any tickets found on other secondary ticketing sites could either be fake or face cancellation by the promoters.

The Oasis 2025 Tour Tickets Controversy, Explained

However, the dispute over the Ed Sheeran concert tickets is not just about resale platforms; it’s also linked to Ticketmaster increasing its own ticket prices. During the sale, they hiked up the prices for “popular” tickets. To fans’ surprise, when they reached the ticket-selection part of the website, they found out that the initially priced £148 ($194) tickets were now being sold at £355 ($466). Ticketmaster implemented this “dynamic pricing system” in 2022, which adjusts prices based on market demand.

People criticized the increased ticket costs, labeling them as “troublesome,” and even drew comparisons between Ticketmaster and scalpers.

A “Highly sought after standing ticket” is simply a standard standing ticket, but it costs twice as much. There’s no difference between tickets sold by Ticketmaster and those sold by touts for the #OasisDublin event.
— Darragh Moriarty (@darragh_mor) August 31, 2024

“Just as expected, a massive number of enthusiasts flocked to our site and were put in a waiting line while purchasing tickets, according to a Ticketmaster representative’s email to TIME. To ensure a smooth experience, we typically recommend fans to maintain their spot in the queue, use a single browser tab, clear their cookies, and avoid utilizing VPN software on their devices.”

It’s important to note that Ticketmaster itself does not determine the cost of tickets. Instead, it is the promoters and artists who decide on ticket prices, which may be set at a fixed rate or based on market demand, as indicated by labels such as ‘Platinum’ or ‘In Demand.’

On various occasions, Ticketmaster has found itself in the middle of disputes concerning its ticket selling system. Most recently, during Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour presale, the company faced criticism as fans spent hours in a queue only to encounter technical issues at the final moment, causing the website to malfunction and ultimately leading to the cancellation of the general sale.

Are Oasis adding extra shows to the 2025 U.K. and Ireland tour?

Because of the challenges with obtaining tickets and high fan interest, many people are urging Oasis to schedule additional shows for their already sold-out 2025 UK and Ireland tour.

Additional requests for dates are made following Oasis announcing an extra three shows in the U.K., prior to ticket sales starting.

It remains unclear whether Oasis plans to schedule more shows due to ongoing popular interest.

TIME has reached out to Oasis’ representatives for comment.

2024-09-01 19:06

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