Olivia Dean has successfully negotiated partial refunds for her fans from Ticketmaster and AXS, following a public outcry regarding exorbitant resale prices for her North American tour. The Grammy-nominated artist expressed her outrage last week when she discovered that resale tickets were being offered at prices up to 14 times their original face value.
In a statement shared on social media, Dean asserted, “Live music should be affordable and accessible and we need to find a new way of making that possible. BE BETTER.” She criticized major players in the industry, including Live Nation, Ticketmaster, and AEG, for what she termed a “disgusting service,” emphasizing that these high resale prices contradicted her wishes and those of many artists.
Refund Agreement and Capping Resale Prices
Dean announced that as part of the agreement, Ticketmaster and AXS will refund the price difference to anyone who paid above the original ticket price. Furthermore, these platforms will cap all future resale prices to the face value for the North American leg of her tour. “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 stated.
The artist highlighted the need for reform in the secondary ticket market, describing it as “exploitative and unregulated.” She called on the industry to take responsibility for protecting fans and maintaining the integrity of live music. Dean concluded her message with gratitude for her supporters, expressing eagerness to see them at the concerts.
According to BBC News, Michael Rapino, CEO of Live Nation Entertainment, acknowledged Dean’s concerns. He stated, “We share Olivia’s desire to keep live music accessible and ensure fans have the best access to affordable tickets.” While Rapino noted that the company cannot enforce all marketplaces to comply with artists’ resale preferences, he echoed Dean’s call to “do better” and indicated that steps are being taken to lead by example.
Government Action on Ticket Reselling
Dean’s actions coincide with recent announcements from the U.K. government, which revealed plans to ban the resale of concert and sports tickets above face value. This initiative aims to combat ticket scalping, which has plagued the industry for years. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy criticized ticket touts for exploiting fans, stating, “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 estimates that this new legislation could save fans a combined £112 million (approximately $146 million) annually. Notable artists such as Coldplay and Dua Lipa have publicly supported this move, advocating for fair ticket pricing and access for all concert-goers.
The developments surrounding Olivia Dean’s tour and the U.K. government’s stance reflect a growing awareness of the challenges within the ticketing industry. As artists and governments alike push for greater fairness, the hope is that live music will become more accessible to fans everywhere.
