Singer's Stand Against 'Exploitative' Ticket Resale Pays Off
British singer-songwriter Olivia Dean has secured a significant victory in her campaign against inflated ticket resale practices, forcing major ticketing platforms to implement crucial changes. The 26-year-old artist publicly called out what she described as 'exploitative and unregulated' secondary ticket markets after prices for her North American The Art of Loving Tour soared far beyond their original face value on resale sites.
Direct Challenge to Industry Giants
Taking to Instagram last week, Dean didn't hold back in her criticism, directly naming Ticketmaster, Live Nation, and AEG Presents while warning her fans about potential scams. She accused the platforms of providing a 'disgusting service' by allowing resale prices to skyrocket, making live music inaccessible to many genuine fans. The singer urged her followers to be extremely cautious about purchasing tickets from unofficial sources in comment sections, where scams are prevalent.
Her social media posts highlighted the frustration many artists feel about the secondary ticket market. 'It is extremely frustrating as the last thing I want is for anyone to be scammed or overcharged for our show,' Dean wrote, assuring fans that her team was actively investigating the issue.
Major Concessions Won for Fans
Following what Dean described as 'many conversations' with her team, the campaigning artist announced a breakthrough on Thursday. Both Ticketmaster and AXS have agreed to cap all future resale prices at face value for her North American tour dates. More importantly, the platforms will refund the difference to anyone who has already paid above the original ticket price.
In her Instagram update, Dean emphasised that 'every artist and their team should be granted the option to cap resale at face value ahead of on sale, to keep the live music space accessible for all.' She described the secondary ticket market as 'an exploitative and unregulated space' and stated that the industry has a responsibility to protect music fans and the community.
Ticketmaster responded by issuing a statement supporting 'artists' ability to set the terms of how their tickets are sold and resold.' The company confirmed it would cap resale prices on its site at face value and expressed hope that other resale platforms would follow their lead.
Broader Industry Implications
This victory comes amid growing pressure on the ticketing industry and follows recent legislative developments. Reselling tickets above face value was recently outlawed as part of a government crackdown on touts and rip-off resale sites, a measure promised in the Labour manifesto.
The problem has been exacerbated by touts using bots to purchase tickets in bulk the moment they go on sale, enabling them to resell with huge mark-ups on secondary websites. Dean joined her voice to numerous other major artists including Coldplay, Dua Lipa, and Radiohead who have been urging the government to honour its pledge to cap resale prices.
Ticketmaster clarified that resale policies differ globally, noting that in the UK they have capped resale to the original price since 2018. Meanwhile, AEG Presents stated they immediately shut down resale for the one Olivia Dean show they promoted after noticing price irregularities in the secondary market.
Dean concluded her announcement by thanking fans for their patience and looking forward to seeing 'all you real humans at the show,' adding a final directive: 'STOP THE BOTS.'
