Calls for an inquiry into the ‘in-demand’ pricing structure after standing tickets for Dublin gigs soared to €415.50.

The sharp rise in ticket prices for Oasis’ upcoming gigs at Dublin’s Croke Park has sparked calls for a consumer watchdog investigation. Fans who had been eagerly waiting in long online queues for tickets were left shocked when standing tickets, initially advertised at €86.50 plus booking fees, surged to €415.50 by the time they were able to make their purchase.

Irish MEP Regina Doherty has urged the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) to investigate the pricing system behind the sell-out concerts, scheduled for August next year. She described the price increase as “not transparent” and “unfair to consumers.”

“When ticket prices were first advertised, standing tickets were listed at €86.50 plus booking fees,” Doherty said. “However, when many people eventually made it through the online queue, they found the same tickets priced at €415.50. This is extortionate, especially when it is clear that every ticket for these gigs was always going to be in high demand.”

Doherty called for a thorough examination of the “in-demand” pricing structure, highlighting concerns that it could be exploiting consumers. She pointed to the EU’s Digital Services Act, which is designed to protect consumers from unfair practices on large digital platforms.

Ticketmaster explained that the prices for “platinum” and “in-demand” tickets were determined by market value, meaning they could fluctuate during the sales window. However, Ticketmaster clarified that it does not set the prices, as they are determined by the event promoters. The promoter for the Irish concerts, MCD, has been approached for comment on the matter.

The issue arose during a highly anticipated sales window for tickets, which opened at 8am on Saturday, an hour earlier than for the UK gigs. The online queue quickly grew to over 500,000 people, with many fans experiencing technical difficulties, such as being logged out of their accounts, ejected from the queue, or presented with error messages as the website struggled to manage the overwhelming demand.

Additionally, residents around Croke Park were disappointed after a set number of tickets were reserved for people living nearby. Despite submitting forms for special access codes, demand for the local tickets exceeded supply, and those who were unsuccessful were notified by email on Saturday.