Proposal to Ban Dynamic Ticket Pricing in Ireland After Oasis Controversy

It’s Friday

High 21C and Low 14C. No Rain Today

Hi guys, It’s another Friday

👀 What’s on the news today:

• Proposal to Ban Dynamic Ticket Pricing in Ireland After Oasis Controversy.

• UK police arrive in Dublin to monitor potential hooligan activity ahead of Ireland v England match

A move to ban "dynamic pricing" in Ireland has been initiated following the controversy surrounding Oasis concert ticket sales.

Several Fianna Fáil politicians have announced plans to introduce a Bill that would expand existing laws prohibiting the resale of tickets above face value. Their proposal seeks to ban primary ticket sellers from adjusting ticket prices based on demand.

Many fans were outraged by the sharp increase in prices for standard tickets to the Oasis reunion tour, including two Dublin dates at Croke Park, which spiked significantly on Ticketmaster. Additionally, numerous fans were left disappointed after waiting in online queues for hours, only to miss out on purchasing tickets.

Ticketmaster stated that it does not control ticket prices, attributing the pricing decisions to the "event organiser," who sets the price based on "market value."

Senator Timmy Dooley has called for a ban on dynamic pricing by primary ticket sellers. He, along with colleagues, is set to introduce the Sale of Tickets (Cultural, Entertainment, Recreational, and Sporting Events) (Amendment) Bill 2024.

“This is a consumer protection issue,” said Mr. Dooley. “People attending any event, not just concerts, should trust that the ticket price they see at the start is the price they will pay. Unfortunately, this was not the case for Oasis fans over the weekend."

British police officers have arrived in Dublin to help identify English football hooligans who may attempt to defy travel bans and cause trouble around the Ireland v England match this weekend. The officers will work in Garda control rooms, monitoring CCTV, and may assist on the streets with Garda Public Order Units. However, they will not have policing powers.

A major policing and traffic management plan is in place for the event, with only 3,000 tickets allocated to England fans, though many more are expected to travel. Operation Dearóil has been launched for the event, which also includes security measures for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's visit. The match takes place at the Aviva Stadium, marking the teams' first meeting in Dublin since 2015.

Good luck with everything today. Have a great weekend. See you next week.

Johir