Dynamic ticket pricing questioned by Mercury Prize stars: ‘Where’s the money going?’
“It makes me furious,” says singer-songwriter CMAT. “The level of greed is disgusting. No one should be allowed to do it.”
The Irish star is of course referring to dynamic ticket pricing, the controversial music industry issue that has dominated headlines, social media discourse and even politics this week following the chaotic Oasis reunion sale.
At this year’s Mercury Prize ceremony, honouring the 12 best albums from the UK and Ireland, many of the shortlisted artists, as well as the winners, English Teacher, spoke out about the issue.
Irish singer-songwriter CMAT is an Oasis fan with tickets for gigs next year. Pic: JM Enternational
CMAT, whose real name is Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, is an Oasis fan who plans to go to three gigs next year. But she didn’t pay dynamic pricing, she says, and believes the system should be banned.
“Why is every venue in the UK closing down? Why is every single part of the music industry on its knees, but somebody is benefiting from [increased] ticket prices?
“Because if I was to allow dynamic pricing on my tickets – which I never, ever, ever would, and I have fought against it for the past year – I wouldn’t be getting that [money]. My management wouldn’t.”
CMAT continues: “Where’s this money going? Who’s getting it? Because it’s not benefiting anyone.”
As an independent artist, she says she has maintained more input and control of decision making when it comes to setting prices – and the conversation about dynamic pricing has “reared its ugly head” every so often over the past year.
However, the singer also believes there are artists “pressured into it that either don’t know any better, or don’t actually have the power or the right to fight against it, because they’re in some deal” they cannot escape from.
As for the inflated Oasis tickets that have already been sold? “Realistically, [sellers] should be refunding people,” she says.
L-R: Liam and Noel Gallagher have reunited Oasis for gigs next year. Pic: AP
‘There’s economics and there’s creativity’
Oasis fans spent hours in virtual queues after the sale opened on Saturday – only for many to find that some tickets had more than doubled due to “in demand” pricing for the reunion tour.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an investigation into the Ticketmaster sale, saying it will look into concerns over how dynamic pricing may have been used, and whether or not buyers were given clear and timely information explaining prices could change.
Rapper Berwyn – nominated for the second time for his debut album Who Am I, after becoming the first artist to make the list with a mix tape in 2021. Pic: Mercury Prize
Oasis themselves have announced further gigs with a change to the way tickets are bought, with an “invitation-only ballot ticket sale” as “a small step towards making amends”.
The band deny being aware of the decision to use dynamic pricing.
“I think there’s very, very rarely any instances in history where a commercial venture and a creative, artistic venture have collaborated to the benefit of them both,” says rapper Berwyn, another 2024 Mercury Prize shortlisted artist.
“I think there’s economics and there’s creativity. They both contribute to culture but opposite ends of the spectrum. Oftentimes they meet in the middle and the conversation is very rarely a good one.”
Jazz musician corto.alto says the system needs to be looked into. Pic: Mercury Prize
‘It’s not hit the jazz world yet’
“I think putting that barrier to entry on to any kind of event or music, it doesn’t really support inclusivity,” says musician and producer corto.alto, shortlisted for his debut album Bad With Names.
“Thankfully it’s not hit the jazz world yet… although there were big headlines when I announced my tour as well, about dynamic pricing.” He laughs. “Joking, there was not. But it’s something I think has to be looked at, for sure.”
“It makes it really inaccessible,” says Lewis Whiting, from English Teacher. “If you’re selling a ticket for a price, it should stay like that.”
Rapper Ghetts – nominated for the second time for his fourth album, On Purpose, With Purpose. Pic: JM Enternational
Rapper Ghetts, shortlisted for the second time for his fourth album On Purpose, With Purpose, says he sees fans as family. “I wouldn’t want to overcharge them in any way.
“I always want to put them first and be like, that’s a bit unreasonable, especially in the times that we’re living in. When you look at people’s outgoings and their incomings, it’s a lot to ask for people sometimes.”
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Like CMAT, Nia Archives is an Oasis fan – one who is “manifesting” tickets for one of their Manchester shows next year. “But the cost of living crisis really affected a lot of young people and festivals, we’re seeing them shut down because they can’t afford to keep running,” she says.
“I think it’s really important to have that community aspect, to have those free things and real-life moments, people that aren’t so money focused.”
Ticketmaster has said it does not set prices and its website says this is down to the “event organiser” who had “priced these tickets according to their market value”.
In response to the CMA announcement, the company said: “We are committed to cooperating with the CMA and look forward to sharing more facts about the ticket sale with them.”
Entertainment
New Universal theme park set to open in UK – with promise of ‘billions’ of pounds for the economy
A deal for a new Universal theme park in Bedfordshire has been confirmed, which Rachel Reeves says will bring “billions” to the economy and create thousands of jobs.
It will be the first Universal-branded theme park and resort in Europe and is set to open in 2031, when it is expected to become the UK’s most popular visitor attraction.
The government said it will bring an estimated £50bn into the British economy and will create about 28,000 jobs – nearly 20,000 during the construction phase, and 8,000 more in hospitality and the creative industries when it opens.
A 500-room hotel and a retail and entertainment complex is planned alongside the theme park, which will be built on a former brickworks.
Universal, which is owned by Sky News’ US parent company Comcast, expects the 476-acre site just south of Bedford to generate nearly £50bn for the economy by 2055, with 8.5m visitors in its first year.
The plan remains subject to a formal planning decision process from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Universal has committed to working with local colleges and universities to train students for hospitality jobs.
There are Universal theme parks in Florida (pictured), California, Japan, Beijing and Singapore. Pic: AP
Among some of the famous Universal films are Wicked, Minions, Oppenheimer, Bridget Jones, Fast and the Furious, and Jurassic World.
There are five Universal theme parks already: Orlando in Florida, Hollywood, Japan, Beijing, and Singapore.
The new Universal theme park will be just south of Bedford
Speaking to Wilfred Frost on Sky News Breakfast, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the deal was “huge”.
“This is not just about numbers on the spreadsheet,” she said.
“This is about good jobs. It’s about growth. It’s about raising people’s living standards and putting money in people’s pockets. And it’s a massive vote of confidence in the United Kingdom.”
Welcoming the timing of the announcement, Ms Nandy added: “This deal comes off the back of one of the most tumultuous few weeks in global markets that I think anyone can remember within living memory.”
She said the fact that the government had been able to show it kept a “cool head” and “we don’t take knee-jerk decisions in response to global events” was one of the reasons it was able to announce the deal.
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The proposals to transform the site, a former brickworks, remain subject to a formal planning decision process
The government has said about 80% of employees at the theme park are expected to come from local areas, and it will support the “Oxford-Cambridge corridor” revived by the chancellor in January after the Conservatives scrapped plans for an Abingdon-Milton Keynes train link in 2021.
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It will also commit to a “major investment” in infrastructure around the Universal site to ensure it is well-connected and easily accessible.
The announcement comes days after the government approved an expansion of nearby Luton Airport.
Mike Cavanagh, President of Comcast Corporation, said: “We could not be more excited to take this very important step in our plan to create and deliver an incredible Universal theme park and resort in the heart of the United Kingdom, which complements our growing US-based parks business by expanding our global footprint to Europe.
“We appreciate the leadership and support of Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Minister for Investment Poppy Gustafsson, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and their teams, as we work together to create and deliver a fantastic new landmark destination.”
Entertainment
BAFTA Games Awards: Astro Bot tops leaderboard – with psychological horror close behind
Astro Bot was the big winner at this year’s BAFTA Games Awards, taking home five prizes, including the coveted best game.
The 3D platformer, which was launched to critical acclaim in September to mark PlayStation’s 30th anniversary, was nominated for eight gongs, while Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, led with 11 nods.
But in the end, the critics – some of whom had dubbed Astro Bot a “perfect game” – were right as it dominated the awards at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, hosted by comedian Phil Wang for the second year running.
Astro Bot. Pic: Team Asobi
Nicolas Doucet with his five awards for Astro Bot. Pic: PA
BAFTAs for audio achievement, game design, animation, and best family game completed the set for developers Team Asobi, who designed multiple galaxies and dozens of levels for the titular Astro to journey through, retrieving spaceship parts and rescuing lost robots.
“We’re a team based in Japan, but we have over 12 nationalities. We really mix it up and get ideas from everyone,” Nicolas Doucet, president of Team Asobi, told Sky News.
“We do a lot of jokes in the game, but the joke has a different meaning depending on where you are in the world. So it’s really, really nice to go around and ask everyone ‘is that joke fine in your country?’ And then together we come to a kind of universal playfulness.”
Among the gongs for Astro Bot was the best game award. Pic: BAFTA
It’s a very different atmosphere than that generated by British psychological horror Still Wakes The Deep, which won three awards for best new intellectual property and best supporting and leading roles.
Compared to John Carpenter’s 1980 sci-fi horror The Thing but on a Scottish oil rig, the game sees players take on the role of an electrician trapped on a damaged facility while being pursued by monsters.
Still Wakes The Deep. Pic: Sumo Digital Limited
Developer The Chinese Room has been praised for using home-grown talent to voice the characters, including comedian and actress Karen Dunbar, who picked up best performer in a supporting role for voicing Finlay.
“I’ve been nominated for quite a few BAFTAs in my time in Scotland, and I’ve never won one,” said Dunbar.
“It was such a great category, so many great performances. When they shouted my name, I think I started clapping for someone else!”
Read more: See full list of winners
Still Wakes The Deep star Karen Dunbar won best performer in a supporting role. Pic: BAFTA
Meanwhile, best multiplayer game went to Helldivers II – a satirical, sci-fi shooter that sees players fight bugs, aliens and robots with the gumption and gullibility of the characters in Paul Verhoeven’s Starship Troopers.
It has gained a cult following since launching in February 2024 with so much initial interest it created server problems.
“Games for me are about connecting people and forging those bonds of friendship and the multiplayer award is exactly what it stands for,” said Johan Pilestedt, chief executive of Arrowhead Game Studios.
Helldivers II. Pic: Arrowhead/Sony
From outer space to a fictional Yorkshire town called Barnsworth. Thank Goodness You’re Here! – a cartoonish, comedy platformer – won Best British Game. Like Still Wakes The Deep, it has won praise for the authenticity of its actors and setting.
“I think it’s been a real privilege to be able to represent Barnsley on the silver screen,” said Will Todd, who is from the town and one of two game designers behind the project.
Thank Goodness You’re Here! Pic: Coal Supper/Panic Inc
Co-creator James Carbutt added: “Me and Will wrote everything in our tone of voice, quite literally. The further along development we got, the more we lent into it. I think the voices from different parts of the UK and different voices in gaming are super important, and hopefully we’re one of them.”
By the time the BAFTAs wrapped up, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II was only handed one of the 11 BAFTAs it was nominated for, technical achievement.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II. Pic: Ninja Theory
But developers Ninja Theory are already adding this year’s win to a tally of five BAFTAs they were awarded for the first game in the series, which created a protagonist with psychosis by drawing on clinical neuroscience and the experiences of people living with the condition.
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