Petition to the UK Parliament: Call for CMA Investigation into Ticketmaster's Monopolistic Practices and Unfair Dynamic Pricing

Who is affected?
UK fans of live events are being unfairly exploited by Ticketmaster's monopolistic control over the ticketing market. Despite public statements from artists like Oasis, who have explicitly forbidden ticket resale above face value, Ticketmaster continues to use its "In Demand" dynamic pricing model, driving up costs for fans far beyond the original face value. This practice effectively undermines the wishes of artists and leaves fans, many of whom are already financially strained, with no choice but to pay inflated prices to secure tickets.

What is at stake?
If Ticketmaster's monopoly continues unchecked, the impact on consumers will be severe and long-lasting. The lack of competition in the market is already apparent, as the only other significant providers of face-value tickets—See Tickets and Gigs and Tours—are owned by the same company, See Tickets, and have proven unreliable, often failing during high-demand sales. This monopolistic environment allows Ticketmaster to dictate prices and terms unchallenged, further disenfranchising consumers and creating an environment where only the wealthiest can afford to attend live events.

Why is now the time to act?
The situation is reaching a critical point. With the increasing reliance on digital ticketing platforms and the growing popularity of live events, the negative impacts of Ticketmaster's practices are felt more acutely than ever. The recent failures of other platforms during major ticket sales, coupled with Ticketmaster's dynamic pricing model, have created a perfect storm of exploitation. Immediate action is necessary to prevent further harm to consumers, restore competitive practices, and ensure that artists' intentions regarding fair pricing are respected.

Call to Action:
We, the undersigned, urgently call on the UK Parliament to instruct the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to conduct a thorough investigation into Ticketmaster's business practices. This investigation should focus on:

1. Monopolistic Control: Evaluating Ticketmaster's dominant position in the market and its impact on competition, particularly in light of the failures of other ticketing platforms.

2. Dynamic Pricing: Assessing the fairness and legality of Ticketmaster's "In Demand" pricing, which inflates ticket prices based on demand, in direct opposition to the intentions of artists like Oasis, who have expressly forbidden resale above face value.

This investigation is crucial to protect consumers, restore competition in the ticketing market, and uphold the integrity of the live event industry in the UK. We urge Parliament to act swiftly to address these issues before further damage is done.