Ticketmaster to Cancel 50,000 Oasis Tickets Due to Purchase Violations

 Ticketmaster has announced plans to cancel approximately 50,000 tickets for the upcoming Oasis reunion tour in the UK and Ireland due to violations of its purchase terms and conditions. According to the BBC, the tickets targeted for cancellation were purchased through methods deemed prohibited, such as exceeding the four-ticket limit per household, using multiple identities, and employing VPNs and multiple credit cards to bypass purchase restrictions.

These tickets, constituting around 4% of all sold, have been found on secondary resale sites like Viagogo, rather than the official resale partner, Twickets, which only allows ticket resale at face value. Promoters Live Nation and SJM stated that these measures are intended to curb unauthorized resale and prevent fans from paying inflated prices.

The invalidated tickets will be returned to Ticketmaster for resale at face value, offering an opportunity to the millions of fans who missed out during the initial sale. It remains unconfirmed if dynamic pricing, which adjusts ticket prices based on demand, will apply to the resale, as this controversial practice was initially used but then dropped for international tour dates.

Ticketmaster explained that the ticket restrictions have proven effective, noting that unauthorized resales remain relatively low compared to other major tours, which can see up to 20% of tickets appearing on secondary sites. They encouraged fans to avoid purchasing tickets from unapproved websites, warning that unauthorized tickets could be canceled without refund.

Viagogo, one of the affected resale platforms, stated it would continue offering tickets for the Oasis tour, defending the legality of ticket resale in the UK and reassuring buyers of its money-back guarantee. A spokesperson from Viagogo argued that canceling tickets purchased through their platform unfairly penalizes fans who choose to use what they describe as a "secure and regulated marketplace."

The Oasis tour, which will feature supporting acts Cast and Richard Ashcroft, has attracted a tremendous demand, with more than 10 million fans competing for 1.4 million tickets across 158 countries.