Connecting the live music industry
FTC and States Sue Live Nation and Ticketmaster
September19
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), together with seven U.S. states, has filed a lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment and its subsidiary Ticketmaster, alleging deceptive and anticompetitive conduct in the live events ticketing market.
According to the complaint, the companies allowed ticket brokers to circumvent purchase limits and security measures to acquire large volumes of tickets, which were then resold at inflated prices through Ticketmaster’s own resale platform. The FTC claims this practice drove up costs for consumers, generating billions in additional fees.
The agency also accused Ticketmaster of misleading consumers by advertising tickets at lower prices than the final cost, with mandatory fees—sometimes up to 44% of the ticket price—only disclosed at checkout. Between 2019 and 2024, consumers reportedly paid $16.4 billion in such fees.
Court filings cite internal company communications indicating that Ticketmaster knowingly tolerated brokers’ activities because of the revenue they generated. The complaint further highlights the use of Ticketmaster’s TradeDesk software, which enabled high-volume brokers to manage and resell tickets acquired through multiple accounts.
The FTC argues these practices misled both consumers and artists, violated the Federal Trade Commission Act, and breached the Better Online Ticket Sales (BOTS) Act. The lawsuit seeks civil penalties and other monetary relief.
Ticketmaster is estimated to control around 80% of primary ticketing for major concert venues in the U.S., with a significant and growing presence in the resale market. From 2019 to 2024, consumers spent more than $82.6 billion purchasing tickets through the platform.
The case was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Attorneys General from Virginia, Utah, Florida, Tennessee, Nebraska, Illinois, and Colorado have joined the action.
With VIP-Booking.com, you can search for anyone in the live music industry — try it yourself!
Search Artists:
Trusted by professionals in the live music industry around the world for 25 years!
