British singer-songwriter Olivia Dean has successfully campaigned for partial refunds for her fans and a major change in how her tickets are resold, taking a stand against what she labels an 'exploitative' secondary market.
A Win for Fans: Refunds and Price Caps
The breakthrough came after what Dean described as 'many conversations' with her team and ticketing giants. Ticketmaster and AXS have agreed to refund the difference to any fan who paid over the face value for a ticket to her upcoming North American tour.
Furthermore, in a significant move for artist control, both platforms will cap all future ticket resale prices for the tour at their original value. This decision directly addresses the issue of tickets being listed on resale sites for vastly inflated prices, sometimes reaching thousands of pounds for high-demand events.
An Industry Call to Action
In a statement shared on her Instagram story, Olivia Dean did not stop with her own victory. She issued a powerful call to the wider music industry to follow suit. She urged that every artist and their team should be granted the option to cap resale at face value from the moment tickets go on sale.
Her central argument is that this is essential to 'keep the live music space accessible for all.' Dean condemned the secondary ticket market as an 'exploitative and unregulated space,' asserting that the industry has a responsibility to 'protect people and our community.' She ended her statement with a clear directive: 'STOP THE BOTS.'
Broader Context and Industry Response
This development aligns with a wider crackdown on ticket resale practices. The government has recently confirmed plans to outlaw the resale of tickets for concerts and other live events at prices exceeding their face value.
Michael Rapino, CEO of Live Nation Entertainment, Ticketmaster's parent company, publicly supported Dean's stance. He stated, 'We share Olivia's desire to keep live music accessible and ensure fans have the best access to affordable tickets.' While acknowledging they cannot force other marketplaces to comply, Rapino said they hope to 'lead by example.'
The news also follows a recent investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) into Ticketmaster's handling of Oasis reunion ticket sales. The CMA found that the company failed to adequately inform fans about tiered pricing, where 'platinum' tickets were sold at nearly two and a half times the cost of 'standard' tickets for the same venue sections.
As a result of that probe, Ticketmaster must now provide fans with 24 hours' notice if a similar tiered pricing structure is used. The company has confirmed that all refunds for Olivia Dean's fans will be processed by 10 December.
