UK Government to Probe Dynamic Pricing After Oasis Tickets Surge 

A fan uses a smart phone to access an on-line ticket sales website to purchase tickets for Oasis' "Live '25" tour taking place in 2025, at home in Marsden, northern England on August 31, 2024. (AFP)
A fan uses a smart phone to access an on-line ticket sales website to purchase tickets for Oasis' "Live '25" tour taking place in 2025, at home in Marsden, northern England on August 31, 2024. (AFP)
TT

UK Government to Probe Dynamic Pricing After Oasis Tickets Surge 

A fan uses a smart phone to access an on-line ticket sales website to purchase tickets for Oasis' "Live '25" tour taking place in 2025, at home in Marsden, northern England on August 31, 2024. (AFP)
A fan uses a smart phone to access an on-line ticket sales website to purchase tickets for Oasis' "Live '25" tour taking place in 2025, at home in Marsden, northern England on August 31, 2024. (AFP)

Britain's government has said it will investigate how prices for concert tickets sold on official websites are hiked when demand surges, after fans seeking their spot at next year's Oasis reunion shows faced soaring costs over the weekend.

Culture minister Lisa Nandy said it was "depressing to see vastly inflated prices" on sites operated by authorized retailers which she said would exclude some fans from the shows.

The government will include issues around the transparency and use of so-called dynamic pricing - which pushes up the costs when demand is high - in an already planned review of ticket sales and the protection of consumers, she said.

"Working with artists, industry and fans we can create a fairer system that ends the scourge of touts, rip-off resales and ensures tickets at fair prices," Nandy said in a statement late on Sunday.

Another government minister, Lucy Powell who is leader of the House of Commons, told the BBC she bought two tickets for 350 pounds ($460) each from an official retailer, more than double their original face value.

Oasis announced 17 shows in the United Kingdom and Ireland, with the first due to take place in Cardiff in July 2025, followed by nights in Manchester – where the band was formed in 1991 – London, Edinburgh and Dublin.

All the tickets in Britain were sold within around 10 hours on Saturday, after many fans spent the day in online queues.



FIFA Signs Netflix to US Broadcast Deal for Women's World Cup in 2027, 2031

The Netflix logo is displayed at Netflix corporate offices on September 25, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
The Netflix logo is displayed at Netflix corporate offices on September 25, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
TT

FIFA Signs Netflix to US Broadcast Deal for Women's World Cup in 2027, 2031

The Netflix logo is displayed at Netflix corporate offices on September 25, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
The Netflix logo is displayed at Netflix corporate offices on September 25, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images/AFP)

FIFA has signed Netflix to a United States broadcast deal for the Women's World Cup in 2027 and 2031.

The deal announced Friday is the most significant FIFA has signed with a streaming service for a major tournament. The value was not given.

World Cups are typically broadcast on free-to-air public networks to reach the biggest audiences.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino publicly criticized public broadcasters, especially in Europe, for undervaluing offers to broadcast the 2023 tournament that was played in Australia and New Zealand. That tournament was broadcast by Fox in the US, The AP reported.

"This agreement sends a strong message about the real value of the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the global women’s game," Infantino said Friday in a statement.

FIFA will likely use the Netflix deal to drive talks with European broadcasters that will be more hardball negotiations.

The 32-team, 64-game tournament in 2027 will be played in Brazil from June 24-July 25. The 2031 host has not been decided, though the US is expected to bid.

Spain won the 2023 tournament after the US won the two previous titles.

Netflix dipped into live sports last month with more than 60 million households watching a heavily hyped boxing match between retired heavyweight legend Mike Tyson and social media personality Jake Paul.