Olivia Dean has successfully negotiated partial refunds for her fans from Ticketmaster and AXS, following her strong criticism of their ticket resale practices. The Grammy nominee expressed her dismay when she discovered that resale tickets for her North American tour were being sold at prices up to 14 times their original value. Dean took to social media last week to voice her concerns about what she termed an “exploitative” market, emphasizing that “live music should be affordable and accessible.”
In her statement, Dean expressed that companies like Live Nation, Ticketmaster, and AEG were providing a “disgusting service.” She stated, “The prices at which you’re allowing tickets to be re-sold is vile and completely against our wishes.” Her comments resonate with a growing frustration regarding the secondary ticket market, which many artists and fans perceive as unregulated and predatory.
In a response to Dean’s advocacy, both Ticketmaster and AXS have agreed to refund the difference to fans who have paid more than the original ticket price. Additionally, they will cap all future resale prices at face value for the North American leg of her tour. Dean highlighted the importance of this measure, stating, “Every artist and their team should be granted the option to cap re-sale at face value ahead of on sale, to keep the live music space accessible for all.”
The impact of Dean’s actions aligns with broader industry concerns. According to BBC News, Michael Rapino, CEO of Ticketmaster’s parent company Live Nation Entertainment, remarked on the situation, saying, “We share Olivia’s desire to keep live music accessible and ensure fans have the best access to affordable tickets.” While he acknowledged that the company cannot compel other marketplaces to adhere to artists’ resale preferences, he echoed Dean’s call for the industry to “do better.”
This development occurs in parallel with recent announcements from the U.K. government, which has put forth plans to ban the resale of concert and sports tickets above face value. This move aims to combat ticket scalping, a practice that has been criticized for taking advantage of fans. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy commented, “For too long, ticket touts have ripped off fans, using bots to snap up batches of tickets and resell them at sky-high prices.” The government anticipates that this legislation could save fans an estimated £112 million (approximately $146 million) annually.
Several prominent artists, including Coldplay and Dua Lipa, have publicly supported the U.K. government’s initiative. As the conversation around ticket pricing and accessibility continues to evolve, Dean’s actions reflect a growing demand for change within the live music industry. She concluded her statement with a heartfelt message to her fans, saying, “Thank you for your patience and I’m looking forward to seeing all you real humans at the show.”
As the landscape of ticket sales transforms, the outcome of Dean’s efforts may inspire further reforms to ensure that live music remains accessible to all fans.
