Thousands of Oasis fans were left devastated after Ticketmaster unexpectedly cancelled their concert tickets, citing suspicious "bot activity" in purchases for the band's highly anticipated reunion tour.
The ticketing giant sent emails to affected customers explaining that tour promoters requested refunds after identifying bot-purchased tickets, which violates the tour's terms and conditions. However, numerous fans have taken to social media claiming they obtained their tickets legitimately while waiting in online queues during the initial sale.
Live Nation and SJM Concerts, the tour's promoters, announced plans to cancel approximately 50,000 tickets - roughly four percent of total sales - as part of their efforts to combat scalping. The promoters stated these measures aim to prevent secondary ticketing companies from reselling tickets at inflated prices.
Fans who believe their tickets were wrongfully cancelled can appeal the decision by completing a form for review by tour promoters. The company indicated that findings from their ongoing investigation into ticket sales would be shared with law enforcement when appropriate.
The controversy adds to existing tension surrounding the reunion tour's ticketing process. In the UK, fans expressed outrage over Ticketmaster's dynamic pricing system, which drove ticket prices to three to four times their face value. Following public backlash, Oasis announced they would not implement dynamic pricing for North American shows.
UK regulators have taken notice, with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launching an investigation into the sales process for potential legal violations.
Despite the ticketing chaos, the tour has generated massive revenue. Recent reports show Oasis has already accumulated £400 million in ticket sales, with the band scheduled to perform across the UK this summer before heading to North America, Australia, and South America.