Oasis blamed their management for the dynamic pricing fiasco yesterday despite Liam Gallagher‘s fiancee being his agent.
The band said they were ‘not aware’ the system would be used and that the decision was instead made during meetings between Ticketmaster, promoters and their management.
This is despite the fact that Debbie Gwyther, 40, the girlfriend of frontman Liam, manages him.
The pair met in 2013 when she worked as his personal assistant but she now helps manage his career through the PR company she runs with her sister Katie.
Debbie has been credited with orchestrating the Oasis reunion tour and Liam also previously admitting that she ‘saved him’.
Liam Gallagher and his girlfriend Debbie Gwyther wearing at the Burberry February 2018 show during London Fashion Week
Oasis have announced two extra Wembley shows that will take place in September next year
Liam Gallagher and Debbie Gwyther attend The Q Awards in London back in 2017
Oasis said of Saturday’s chaotic ticket sale: ‘As for the well reported complaints many buyers had over the operation of dynamic ticketing: it needs to be made clear that Oasis leave decisions on ticketing and pricing entirely to their promoters and management, and at no time had any awareness that dynamic pricing was going to be used.
‘While prior meetings between promoters, Ticketmaster and the band’s management resulted in a positive ticket sale strategy, which would be a fair experience for fans, including dynamic ticketing to help keep general ticket prices down as well as reduce touting, the execution of the plan failed to meet expectations.
‘All parties involved did their utmost to deliver the best possible fan experience, but due to the unprecedented demand this became impossible to achieve.’
Their comments came as the band annouced two extra dates for their sought-after reunion tour on September 27 and 28 next year.
Tickets for upcoming dates will be sold via a staggered, invitation-only ballot and be open to fans who missed out over the weekend.
Debbie Gwyther out and about in London in June 2019
Debbie has been credited with Liam’s transformation in recent years and has been hailed a tamer of the rock legend.
A source said: ‘Debbie came into the scene after the band had split up, and was a fresh pair of eyes and a cooler head without all the baggage.
‘Debbie blew everyone away. Let’s just say if it wasn’t for her, things would not have gone anywhere near as smoothly as they did in the end.
‘She was determined to get Liam back on stage with his brother.
‘She’s said for years she thinks they should try to patch things up – and she loves Liam’s family, especially his mum, Peggy, and wanted them to smooth things over for her, too. It’s hard to imagine this ever having happened without her. She should work for the UN with those skills.’
Debbie was a working-class girl, growing up in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, the daughter of a postman and stay-at-home mum.
She didn’t go to university but instead moved to Dalston, East London, in her late teens to find a job in the music industry.
Debbie and Liam began a relationship after he divorced All Saints singer Nicole Appleton in 2014 and the pair got engaged in 2019.
British rock band Oasis at Nomad Studios in Manchester in November 1993
Noel and Liam Gallagher proved they had buried the hatchet on their 15-year feud as they met up this summer to pose for a photo together to mark Oasis’ comeback tour
Oasis were furious over the dynamic pricing scandal at the weekend that saw the cost of some tickets soar to £350.
Dynamic pricing works by increasing the prices of tickets in line with a demand – similar to an Uber journey or seats on a plane.
However, the system, which is designed to deter touts, has been criticised by fans who were shocked by the cost of tickets.
Some waited for up to eight hours to get to the front of the queue on Saturday only to be presented with standing tickets costing more than £350 – far above the expected £150.
Others were kicked off Ticketmaster before they were even able to make a purchase and were accused of ‘being a bot’.
Announcing the new shows on social media this afternoon, Oasis wrote: ‘Two extra Wembley Stadium shows have been added due to phenomenal demand.
‘Tickets will be sold by a staggered, invitation-only ballot process.
‘Applications to join the ballot will be opened first to the many UK fans who were unsuccessful in the initial on sale with Ticketmaster. More details to follow.’
However some fans, who paid over £350 for their tickets, have reacted angrily to the announcement.
One person posted on X: ‘Hope they’re being charged £400 a ticket for the same seats as me!
‘#Dynamic pricing and I obvioulsy paid way more than people in the ballot who are probably sat next to me as well.’
Another person commented: ‘Need to scrap all tickets and start again – is the only way it can be fair.
‘I was at the checkout for Heaton Park Fri 11th and the site kicked me back behind 230,000 people, need to start again.’
However, others have jumped at the chance to get another chance to apply for tickets.
One person posted on X: ‘Literally everything cross for this… can’t go through another day like Saturday. So stressful.’
Another added: ‘Would be amazing to get ballot. It’s mine and my boyfriend’s anniversary next week and he was so gutted.
‘We spent eight hours trying to get tickets. Would love to surprise him.’
Around 14 million people spent Saturday morning waiting in lengthy online queues in the hope of securing a spot at one of next year’s shows.
Emma Munnelly, queuing for tickets since 8:30am on Saturday, told MailOnline that afternoon she had spent three hours waiting in a queue and a waiting room queue to buy tickets for herself, her husband and her daughter.
She said her daughter ‘has been desperate to see Oasis and couldn’t believe her luck when they announced they were touring’.
‘Expected to pay £148.50 for standing at Manchester, absolutely disgusted that when we had the chance of purchasing the tickets, Ticket Master had increased them to £355 each.
‘This was unaffordable and devastating for my daughter.’
‘It is such an unaffordable cost for many families and it should not be allowed to happen,’ she said.
Catherine Kremer said she had finally reached the front after four hours of queuing and now ‘can’t even buy a ticket ‘whatever option is chosen’, with in-demand tickets priced at £358.10 to stand.
Heidi Tringe told MailOnline she got up at 3:45am local time in Montpelier, USA – and was horrified to discover the ‘In Demand’ prices when she finally got to the front of the queue, three and a half hours later.
‘The Ticket Options that were showing on the screen were the ridiculously Ticketmaster-inflated ‘dynamic pricing’ tickets…
‘I attempted clicking on various buttons and ‘Find Tickets’ to no avail for the last 30 minutes. I finally hit refresh – nothing changed. I hit refresh a few more times and then it said I had lost my place in line and could rejoin the queue.
Members of British rock band Oasis pictured in 2006
The Ticketmaster website acknowledges dynamically-priced tickets based on demand
‘This is so maddening, heartbreaking. If companies are going to have a monopoly on tickets, inflate the prices well above the prices the band has set, they damn well better have systems in place that can handle fan demand. Something needs to be done, both in Europe and in the US.’
Celebrities also hit out at the Ticketmaster fiasco with famous faces such as Dan Walker and Victoria Derbyshire also vying for seats to the reuninion shows.
TV and radio presenter Dan Walker posted on X: ‘There has got to be a fairer, simpler, more efficient way of selling tickets that isn’t so open to touts, scammers, resellers & bots. #Oasis
‘In the queue, out of the queue, refresh / don’t refresh, wait in line, back of the line, accused of being a bot… timed out.’
He added in a separate post: ‘How many times have you refreshed Ticketmaster?’
BBC journalist Victoria Derbyshire was also left frustrated by the booking process.
She posted at 11.23am with a screenshot of Ticketmaster telling her she was in the queue: ‘Has anyone actually managed to get a ticket today yet?’
Oasis has been contacted for comment.
