Ticketmaster Under Fire for Excessive Resale Prices; Fans to Receive Refunds
In a move that has sparked praise from fans and criticism from the music industry, Ticketmaster has begun refunding customers who were sold tickets for Olivia Dean's North American tour at inflated resale prices. The singer-songwriter, known for her hit singles and chart-topping albums, publicly condemned ticketing companies for their role in allowing touts to resell tickets at rates 14 times higher than face value.
In a scathing Instagram post, Dean called out Ticketmaster and other major ticketing companies, accusing them of "providing a disgusting service" that prioritizes profits over fans' interests. She emphasized the need for live music to be accessible and affordable, stating that artists should not have to rely on resale sites to make ends meet.
Ticketmaster initially responded by saying it would cap resale prices at face value, but some critics argue this is too little, too late. The company's parent company, Live Nation Entertainment, has since announced that it will refund fans for any markup they paid to resellers on Ticketmaster.
Industry experts say the situation highlights a broader issue with ticketing practices in the live music industry. With prices for tickets often skyrocketing, many artists are struggling to make a living from their performances. In recent months, several high-profile acts have lobbied governments to introduce stricter regulations on ticket resale, and it seems Ticketmaster has finally taken notice.
As one of the UK's biggest breakout artists of the year, Dean is leading the charge against unfair ticketing practices. With four singles currently in the UK Top 20 and her second album spending eight weeks in the Top 5, she has a platform to effect change and advocate for greater transparency and fairness in the industry.
In response to Dean's comments, Live Nation Entertainment CEO Michael Rapino echoed her sentiments, stating that his company shares her desire to keep live music accessible to all. However, critics argue that more concrete action is needed to address the root causes of the problem.
The UK government has recently announced plans to make it illegal for tickets to be resold for more than their original cost, a move that could have significant implications for ticketing companies like Ticketmaster. As the debate over ticket resale practices continues to gain momentum, one thing is clear: artists like Olivia Dean are determined to fight for a fairer system that prioritizes fans' interests above profits.
In a move that has sparked praise from fans and criticism from the music industry, Ticketmaster has begun refunding customers who were sold tickets for Olivia Dean's North American tour at inflated resale prices. The singer-songwriter, known for her hit singles and chart-topping albums, publicly condemned ticketing companies for their role in allowing touts to resell tickets at rates 14 times higher than face value.
In a scathing Instagram post, Dean called out Ticketmaster and other major ticketing companies, accusing them of "providing a disgusting service" that prioritizes profits over fans' interests. She emphasized the need for live music to be accessible and affordable, stating that artists should not have to rely on resale sites to make ends meet.
Ticketmaster initially responded by saying it would cap resale prices at face value, but some critics argue this is too little, too late. The company's parent company, Live Nation Entertainment, has since announced that it will refund fans for any markup they paid to resellers on Ticketmaster.
Industry experts say the situation highlights a broader issue with ticketing practices in the live music industry. With prices for tickets often skyrocketing, many artists are struggling to make a living from their performances. In recent months, several high-profile acts have lobbied governments to introduce stricter regulations on ticket resale, and it seems Ticketmaster has finally taken notice.
As one of the UK's biggest breakout artists of the year, Dean is leading the charge against unfair ticketing practices. With four singles currently in the UK Top 20 and her second album spending eight weeks in the Top 5, she has a platform to effect change and advocate for greater transparency and fairness in the industry.
In response to Dean's comments, Live Nation Entertainment CEO Michael Rapino echoed her sentiments, stating that his company shares her desire to keep live music accessible to all. However, critics argue that more concrete action is needed to address the root causes of the problem.
The UK government has recently announced plans to make it illegal for tickets to be resold for more than their original cost, a move that could have significant implications for ticketing companies like Ticketmaster. As the debate over ticket resale practices continues to gain momentum, one thing is clear: artists like Olivia Dean are determined to fight for a fairer system that prioritizes fans' interests above profits.
i mean olivia dean speaking truth to power and now live nation entertainment is all like "oh yeah we care" 
but seriously, cap at face value wasn't enough - what about those people who already got ripped off? refunding fans who paid way more than the original price doesn't make up for it 
ticket prices are crazy and i feel so bad for new artists trying to make a living from their music ... olivia dean is totally right, the industry needs to change and ticketmaster needs to take responsibility for its actions 
the problem goes way beyond just olivia dean tho, it's a massive issue in the music industry as a whole. artists are literally struggling to make ends meet because of these inflated prices 
. I get why artists like Olivia Dean are speaking out, her album is fire 
, we need real change like those UK government plans 
? Artists, ticketing companies, and governments gotta work together to make live music affordable again 
!
. Artists need to be able to make a living off their music, not rely on resale sites. It's just not fair to fans at all...
I'm so glad Olivia Dean is speaking up about this! Like, I know I've bought tickets from resellers in the past and it's crazy how much they can markup those prices... like 14 times face value?! That's just not right 
but ticketmaster's response is still kinda weak imo they're just capping resale prices at face value but what about the actual markup? that's still gonna hurt people financially 
it's about time someone did something about these outrageous markups 
and let's be real, this news is a major win for anyone who loves live music 