Olivia dean Condemns ticket Resale Practices by Ticketmaster, Live Nation, and AEG
los Angeles, CA – Singer-songwriter Olivia Dean publicly criticized Ticketmaster, Live Nation, and AEG Presents this week, denouncing what she called “disgusting” resale ticket prices for her upcoming north American tour. Dean’s statements come amid growing scrutiny of the ticketing industry and its impact on fans.
The artist voiced her frustration on social media, highlighting instances of tickets being resold at substantially inflated costs – some exceeding $700, despite original face value prices. Dean’s concerns reflect a broader wave of criticism directed at the primary and secondary ticketing markets, where limited ticket availability and dynamic pricing often lead to exorbitant resale costs, effectively pricing out many fans.
“I’ve been seeing the resale prices for my shows and it’s disgusting,” Dean wrote in a now-viral post. “I want to be clear that these prices are set by resellers, not by me or my team.”
In response to the outcry and Dean’s comments, AEG Presents took immediate action, shutting down resale for the single Olivia Dean show it promoted and ticketed through AXS. “We instantly shut down resale for the one Olivia Dean show that was promoted by AEG Presents and ticketed by AXS,” a representative for AEG stated. “We have been vocal in our support of legislation that protects artists and fans alike.”
Representatives for Ticketmaster and Live Nation have not yet responded to requests for comment.
StubHub, a major secondary ticket marketplace, acknowledged the issues but pointed to the underlying control exerted by dominant ticketing companies. “Fans and artists are right to call out a broken system, but fixing it means addressing the cause, not just the symptoms,” a StubHub representative told Rolling Stone.”The problem starts with a monopoly that controls how many tickets go on sale, what fans pay, and where they can buy them. StubHub doesn’t set prices. We give fans shut out by long virtual queues or sold-out shows a safe and secure way to get to the events they love, all backed by our FanProtect Guarantee.”
Dean initially expressed excitement about her tour announcement, stating, “These are venues I have only dreamt of playing,” on Instagram. Her North American tour is scheduled to begin in San Francisco in July and conclude in Austin the following month.
