Australian Government to Ban Dynamic Pricing After Four Corners Investigation

The Australian government announced it will ban the infamous ticket practice known as dynamic pricing. The move follows an explosive investigation by ABC’s Four Corners, which shed light on Live Nation’s market manipulation and impact on the country’s music scene.

The investigation, “Four Corners: Music For Sale,” aired on Monday, October 14 on ABC TV. The report follows an investigation by reporter Avani Dias, who has been speaking to industry insiders and musicians regarding Live Nation’s domination.

| READ: Live Nation Targeted in Explosive Investigation Alleging Market Manipulation | 

The once-vibrant Australian underground music scene has been overtaken; over 1,300 venues shut down and major festivals were either bought out or cancelled this year. Meanwhile, Live Nation is “squeezing out local competitors by acquiring smaller independent operators,” Four Corners claims.

Four Corners revealed in the investigation that Live Nation’s ticketing arm Ticketmaster and its competitor Ticketek have charged music fans hidden fees for concert tickets. It also delved into the use of “dynamic pricing,” which increases prices based on demand.

The practice of dynamic pricing is not new, however, its use has been more rare abroad than in the United States. While its supporters argue that such practices discourage “scalping” by making it harder for people to turn a profit by reselling tickets, it has drawn extreme backlash from fans, who often feel ripped off by the very bands they are trying to see.

The Australian government noted in a statement that “from concert tickets to hotel rooms to gym memberships, Australians are fed up with businesses using tricky tactics that make it difficult to end subscriptions or add hidden fees to purchases.”

“These practices can distort purchasing decisions, or result in additional costs, putting more pressure on the cost of living,” the federal government said.

| READ: Law Firm Considers Class Action Against Live Nation, Ticketmaster for Aussie Fans | 

Dynamic pricing has been a hot topic over the past year; concertgoers across all genres have felt the burn of dynamic pricing — from Green Day and Sleep Token to Sabrina Carpenter and Olivia Rodrigo. 

Broadway legend Andrew Lloyd Webber called the practice “racketeering” and “completely wrong.” Oasis revealed they would not use dynamic pricing on the North American leg of their reunion tour, following messy ticket sales in the UK and Ireland. Iron Maiden and The Cure both followed suit, opting-out of dynamic pricing for their tours. The Cure’s Robert Smith said the practice is “driven by greed” and artists are well aware of it, noting, “if they say they do not, they’re either f**king stupid or lying.”

It is unknown at this time if other countries will also ban dynamic pricing. However, Ticketmaster is already under fire in the U.S. and is the target of an antitrust lawsuit alongside its parent company Live Nation, brought forth by the Department of Justice, 39 states, and the District of Columbia. The lawsuit, which alleges anticompetitive and monopolistic business practices, aims to break-up the pair.