Dynamic pricing, a contentious practice, has now made its way into English football, as reported by The Guardian. The controversy arose when Seat Unique, a company backed by prominent sports figures, including England men’s football captain Harry Kane, listed two seats at the FA Cup final for more than £3,000 each. Seat Unique, which offers VIP hospitality packages, boasts endorsements and financial endorsements from various professional athletes and sports teams, promising exceptional fan experiences. However, the company has faced criticism for operating similar to ticket touts after significantly reducing the price of hospitality tickets shortly after a customer’s purchase, which was intended to boost her nephew’s spirits.
The customer, Gabrielle, expressed feeling exploited after purchasing tickets for over £1,500 each, only to see their price drop to £399 less than two weeks later. Seat Unique attributed the fluctuating prices to dynamic pricing, a practice that garnered negative attention when Oasis faced backlash for using it during their tour. Gabrielle recounted her distress and dissatisfaction, emphasizing that the possibility of such price drops was not clearly communicated to her at the time of purchase.
Seat Unique’s pricing strategy could potentially fuel growing discontent among fans who are already upset about high ticket prices. Tom Greatrex of the Football Supporters’ Association argued that there was no justification for dynamic pricing in football, labeling it as a justification for exploitative practices.
The use of dynamic pricing came to light after Gabrielle shared her experience, detailing how Seat Unique offered to sell more tickets to her after her initial purchase and only acknowledged the potential for price confusion after she raised concerns about the drop in price. Gabrielle felt deceived as there was no transparency regarding the pricing model when she made the purchase, and she suggested that dynamic pricing was not clearly stated on Seat Unique’s website.
A test purchase conducted by The Guardian confirmed that dynamic pricing information was not readily available, and the company contacted Gabrielle shortly afterward to assist with her incomplete transaction. Lisa Webb from the consumer group Which? highlighted the need for transparency in pricing practices, especially for popular events like the FA Cup, to avoid frustrating fans.
Seat Unique has seen a substantial valuation of about £100 million, backed by notable figures like Sam Warburton, Ben Stokes, and Jessica Ennis-Hill, among others. The company insists that it values a fair, transparent, and accessible booking process and is committed to ensuring customer satisfaction.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/money/2025/may/17/controversial-dynamic-pricing-model-revealed-in-fa-cup-final-seat-sales
