Oasis had 'no idea' about ticket price hike after fans left raging

Oasis have dismissed rumours of their involvement in ticket pricing surges, while confirming two additional gigs at London's Wembley Stadium.

The statement released on X, previously known as Twitter, reads: "Two extra Wembley Stadium shows have been added due to phenomenal demand. Tickets will be sold by a staggered, invitation-only ballot process. Applications to join the ballot will be opened first to the many UK fans who were unsuccessful in the initial on sale with Ticketmaster."

The statement was made public on Wednesday night when rock legends and brothers, Liam and Noel Gallagher, announced the expansion of their concerts - triggering waves of excitement among their followers.

Billed as the Oasis Live '25 tour, it represents the most grandiose concert premiere the UK and Ireland have ever seen, with an overwhelming 10 million enthusiasts from 158 nations lining up for tickets. Nevertheless, the unprecedented rush resulted in system overloads across all ticketing platforms, veel conflicting emotions and disillusionment for fans unable to secure passes after enduring lengthy queues.

To partly rectify this issue, the band has introduced a unique, invitation-only ballot for ticket sales specifically for these fresh performances. This initiative prioritises the multitude of supporters who couldn't get tickets during the initial Ticketmaster release.

The tour's popularity is off the charts, making it impossible to schedule enough performances to meet public demand. The revised ticket sales approach is touted to streamline the process for fans, minimising the hassle and time of securing tickets to one of the most coveted events around.

On the issue of ticket price surges, Oasis clarified: "As for the well reported complaints many buyers had over the operation of Ticketmaster's dynamic ticketing: it needs to be made clear that Oasis leave decisions on ticketing and pricing entirely to their promoters and management, and at no time had any awareness that dynamic pricing was going to be used."

They further elaborated on the pre-sale planning: "While prior meetings between promoters, Ticketmaster and the band's management resulted in a positive ticket sale strategy, which would be a fair experience for fans, including dynamic ticketing to help keep general ticket prices down as well as reduce touting, the execution of the plan failed to meet expectations."

All stakeholders put in a significant effort to ensure an optimal fan experience; however, the extraordinary demand rendered this outcome unattainable.

Adding to the buzz, Oasis hinted at possible New York gigs after Amazon Music promoted the reunion through an imposing video billboard. Their official social media shared footage of Liam and Noel featured prominently on the display, with a caption asserting: "If we need to put up a billboard to get these guys to come to the States, here it is."

To which Oasis responded with an eye-catching emoji.

UK fans were left incensed after ticket prices for the highly anticipated Live '25 shows skyrocketed due to resellers, with tickets originally priced at £148 surging to an eye-watering £355 on Ticketmaster, a consequence of dynamic pricing. The scramble to secure tickets for the reunion tour was also marred by technical glitches and false bot accusations.

A wave of outrage has prompted 450 complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) concerning Ticketmaster's adverts for Oasis concerts, with claims leveled against the ads for "misleading claims about availability and pricing".

In response to heightened demand and scarce ticket supplies, Ticketmaster implemented a dynamic pricing strategy in 2022, devised to "give fans fair and safe access to the tickets, while enabling artists and other people involved in staging live events to price tickets closer to their true market value".

Amidst a public outcry over the exorbitant "dynamic pricing" for Oasis's tour, government officials are gearing up to take a closer look at the controversial practice. The uproar has prompted the acceleration of a government consultation on ticket resale platforms, which is expected to commence this autumn.

Adding to the controversy, an old tweet from Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher has resurfaced, casting an ironic light on the current situation. Back in 2017, Liam lambasted his brother Noel for charging $350 for tickets to his US tour, tweeting: "350 dollars to go and see rkid in USA what a c*** when will it all stop as you were LG x."

The irony is not lost on fans, as the dynamic pricing now mirrors the costs that Liam once criticised. Social media users have been quick to comment on the situation, with one person remarking: "Well this is evergreen."

Another expressed their anger more bluntly: "£380 for a 'reactively priced' GA when people had spent 3 hours queuing. What sort of c*** would do that? As you were. BA x."