Proposed law aims to stop ‘nasty surprises’ for fans buying tickets – MP

Ticket sellers should be fined if they fail to provide full details of prices and availability to fans waiting in online queues, according to an MP.

The Sale of Tickets (Sporting and Cultural Events) Bill would also require ticketing businesses to print the final sale price on the face of a ticket.

Labour MP Rupa Huq said her Bill seeks to end “nasty surprises” for buyers and was tabled after “dynamic pricing” left some Oasis fans paying more than they expected to secure tickets for the band’s reunion gigs.

Oasis’s 2025 UK and Ireland tour has sold out, although concerns were raised after some standard tickets more than doubled in price from £148 to £355.

Dynamic pricing

The Britpop group said they were unaware that dynamic pricing was going to be used, while Ticketmaster stated that “all ticket prices are set by the tour”.

The Government and the UK’s competition watchdog have pledged to look into the practice.

Ms Huq’s Bill does not outlaw dynamic pricing but instead aims to give fans the details on what they can expect to pay at the start of the process.

The Bill, which applies to England, Wales and Scotland, creates new offences that are punishable by a fine if a seller of tickets for sporting or cultural events is convicted.

Consumer protection

Ms Huq, the MP for Ealing Central and Acton, told the PA news agency: “This Bill would make it a stipulation that ticket-selling sites must advertise the full array of tickets remaining, quantities and prices to customers waiting in an online queue.

“It is not, as Tories have tried to label it, state interference in every aspect of life, but a consumer protection ensuring transparency and ending nasty surprises.

“A constituent contacted me who queued for hours to only see ‘standing only’ tickets at an astronomical £400. This would oblige these figures to be displayed with complete clarity, with consequences punishable by law for those that don’t.

“It’s great that we finally have a government that ‘gets it’ and has identified other problems which it is working to address.

“It was a Labour manifesto commitment that resale of tickets at inflated rates will end.”

Consultation

Ms Huq noted that Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy last week reiterated the Government has a consultation designed to consider “how best to put fans back at the heart of ticketing”.

Ms Huq said: “With my Bill in place, ministers and I are well placed to join forces to combat this great rock and roll swindle together and stop the ticket rip-off.”

Her Bill was listed for second reading on Friday but was blocked from progressing after Government whip Christian Wakeford shouted “object” when its title was read out.

Ms Huq asked for the Bill to be listed again on January 17, although it will struggle to make progress due to a lack of parliamentary time and without Government support.