Key Highlights
- Olivia Dean secures partial refunds for fans after criticizing Ticketmaster’s ticket resale practices.
- Ticketmaster announces it will cap future resale rates and refund fans for markup on Dean’s tour tickets.
- Dean urges the music industry to ensure live music remains accessible for all, highlighting the exploitative nature of the secondary market.
The Fight for Fairness in Live Music Ticketing
In a significant victory for fans and artists alike, Olivia Dean has secured partial refunds for concertgoers after publicly criticizing Ticketmaster’s ticket resale practices. This move comes as part of an ongoing debate about the fairness and accessibility of live music events.
Olivia Dean’s Crusade Against Exploitation
Earlier this year, Dean, a rising star in the music industry with her soulful second album, “The Art of Loving,” took to social media to condemn the concert ticketing business. She described it as “exploitative” and “rife with inequality,” drawing attention to the astronomical prices some resale tickets were fetching for her North American tour.
“Some resale tickets for my tour were listed at more than 14 times their original face value, with prices rising above $1,000 (£750),” Dean explained in an open letter to ticketing companies. This outcry resonated with many fans who shared similar experiences, highlighting the issue of secondary market pricing.
Ticketmaster’s Response and New Policies
On Wednesday, Ticketmaster announced it would take steps to address these concerns by capping future resale rates for Dean’s tour and refunding fans for any markup they had already paid to resellers on its platform. “We share Olivia’s desire to keep live music accessible and ensure fans have the best access to affordable tickets,” stated Michael Rapino, CEO of Ticketmaster’s parent company, Live Nation Entertainment.
The move comes as part of a broader effort by industry leaders to address the criticisms surrounding the secondary ticket market. Last week, Dean wrote an open letter to ticketing companies, calling their practices “disgusting” and “vile,” and urging them to “do better.” This response from Ticketmaster is seen as a step towards fulfilling that call.
Dean’s Call for Industry Reform
In her latest statement, Dean emphasized the importance of making live music accessible for everyone. She wrote on her Instagram page: “The secondary ticket market is an exploitative and unregulated space and we as an industry have a responsibility to protect people and our community.” Dean further called for every artist and their team to be granted the option to cap resale at face value before tickets go on sale, arguing that this would help maintain affordability.
“Capping resale at face value is your right and we have a duty to encourage a fair resale market,” she said. This stance reflects her commitment to ensuring that live music remains accessible for all, despite the challenges posed by secondary ticketing practices.
Industry-Wide Implications
The actions taken by Ticketmaster in response to Dean’s campaign reflect a broader trend in the industry where artists and fans are increasingly vocal about their concerns. This comes after Coldplay and Dua Lipa, among others, had previously called for action on ticket touts.
“We are very serious about everything we do but live is a sacred space we have crafted over 10 years,” Dean stated. “We lose money on nearly every show but feel passionately it is a worthy investment to create a moment for people to connect and lose themselves for an hour.” Her words underscore the importance of protecting this space from exploitation.
As the debate continues, Olivia Dean’s stand has brought renewed attention to the issue of fair ticketing. With more artists likely to follow her lead, the future of live music ticketing may well see significant changes in the coming months and years.
