The consumer watchdog received ‘more than 100 complaints’ over Ticketmaster Ireland’s handling of the Oasis sale.
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has confirmed it has opened an investigation into Ticketmaster Ireland and its handling of the sale of Oasis tickets last weekend.
Many fans in Ireland were left angry and disappointed after the Ticketmaster website struggled with the high demand for the UK rockers’ two reunion gigs set to take place at Croke Park in Dublin next August.
On top of this, many fans who virtually queued for an hour were left fuming upon discovering that the only tickets left available were “in demand standing tickets” costing €415.50.
The dynamic pricing model used by Ticketmaster Ireland enabled them to raise the price of tickets according to market demand, leading to hugely inflated prices for the newly reformed Oasis.
The ticket sales company have since come under fire for the dynamic pricing model. Earlier in the week, Tánaiste Micheal Martin described the situation as “quite shocking.”
“We have a competition and consumer authority and I think there is a role there for it, which is the body designated to do these things, to investigate this,” he explained.
“There is still time for redemption and I would hope that all of those organising this could reflect on what has transpired.
“There are a lot of disappointed people out there from the perspective of what they see as price gouging.”
He also said there needs to be a strong reflection on “runaway inflation in costs for concerts”.
The CCPC has now revealed it has launched a probe into Ticketmaster Ireland following “a review of more than 100 complaints” received by the consumer watchdog’s helpline.
In a statement on Friday (6 September), Chair of the CCPC Brian McHugh, said:
“The CCPC has reviewed more than 100 contacts from consumers who are very disappointed and frustrated about their experience of buying tickets for Oasis concerts.
“While companies in Ireland are allowed to respond to market demand, there are legitimate concerns over how consumers were treated and we have decided that an in-depth investigation is necessary. If we find that consumer protection laws were broken we will take action.
“The CCPC is grateful to consumers who have taken the time to call or email our helpline to share their experiences with us as their stories have helped us develop a picture of last weekend’s events.”
The consumer watchdog also said it would welcome written comments and any supporting materials from consumers about their experience of buying or attempting to buy Oasis tickets on the weekend of 31 August 2024.
Those affected can send the information to the investigation team at [email protected].
“As an investigation has now been opened, the CCPC cannot provide further comment at this time,” the watchdog added.
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