Longford Senator offered Oasis tickets for €415.50 each wants Ticketmaster and MCD to justify pricing

A Longford Senator, who was offered Oasis concert tickets costing €415.50 each for general admission after two hours queuing online, wants Ticketmaster and MCD to justify its pricing before the Oireachtas Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media. 

Fine Gael Senator Micheál Carrigy has written to the chair of the committee seeking a meeting with representatives from Ticketmaster, to discuss pricing after when he termed 'the disastrous sale of tickets for the Oasis concert due to take place next year'.

The Ballinalee based Senator, who has been chosen to contest the next general election in the Longford / Westmeath constituency, stated, “Over the last few days many music fans were left devastated when the only tickets left for Oasis were priced far beyond the originally advertised €86.50.

Also read: Controversy at boiling point in the Longford Senior Football Championship

“Online ticket giant Ticketmaster kept raising prices— even as people waited in line for hours, so fans had no choice but to opt for the more expensive tickets.

“Like many, I logged on last Saturday morning hoping to secure tickets and after two hours, I reached the top of the queue to purchase tickets at a startling cost of €415.50 each for General Admission. (which he didn't buy!)

“Serious questions remain unanswered about how dynamic ticket pricing works and why artists are allowed to opt into this."

PICTURES | Never mind the Coldplay or Oasis hype, Longford's Battle of the Bands quite simply rocks it!

Senator Carrigy pointed out that in 2021, Fine Gael introduced legislation that banned the reselling of tickets for more than their face value.

He continued, "The aim of this was to stop ticket touting and protect consumers. I believe Ticketmaster is touting in a different format with the band and promoter now using this method to make higher profits at the expense of the Irish public where there is a high demand to attend a particular show.

PICTURES | Sun shines in Longford as 700 people participate in Trek for Theresa fundraiser

“It is imperative that the Oireachtas Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media is briefed on the decisions Ticketmaster and MCD have made.

“We need to hear a clear explanation as to how Ticketmaster and MCD justify these prices.

Also read: Remarkable Longford priest touched the hearts of so many people in Abbeylara and beyond

“I’ve written to the Committee’s Chair to ask her to invite representatives from Ticketmaster to come before the committee.

“I urge Ticketmaster and MCD to speak with members of the committee, so decisions made over the weekend are clarified and the public has all the information on what went wrong.” Senator Carrigy concluded.

Also read: 'Thank you Croker, thank you GAA': Coldplay share heartfelt message to fans after Irish gigs