Lawsuit Filed in Federal Court
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has filed a lawsuit against Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation Entertainment, accusing them of engaging in “illegal” ticket resale practices. The case was filed in federal court in California with support from seven states, including Florida, Illinois and Virginia.
Alleged Illegal Practices
The FTC claims Ticketmaster and Live Nation “tacitly worked” with scalpers, allowing unlawful ticket purchases that increased profits while hurting consumers. The complaint accuses the company of using a “bait and switch” pricing model, enabling it to alter advertised prices and raise total costs for fans. The filing also states that the companies deliberately allowed brokers to exceed ticket limits and violated the Better Online Ticket Sales Act.
Triple Dipping Allegations
According to the FTC, Ticketmaster engaged in “triple dipping,” collecting fees from brokers on both the primary and secondary markets, in addition to fees from consumers. Between 2019 and 2024, the company allegedly generated $3.7 billion from ticket resales. The agency argues these practices harmed both consumers and artists by inflating costs and undermining efforts to keep tickets affordable.
Market Impact
FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson said, “American live entertainment is the best in the world and should be accessible to all of us. It should not cost an arm and a leg to take the family to a baseball game or attend your favorite musician’s show.” The commission noted that Ticketmaster controls about 80% of ticketing at major U.S. concert venues. Between 2019 and 2024, fans spent over $82 billion on tickets through the platform.
Industry and Legal Context
Shares of Live Nation dropped about 2% following the lawsuit announcement. Ticketmaster is also facing scrutiny in the U.K. for its “dynamic pricing” model used in Oasis reunion concert sales. In the U.S., the Justice Department has an ongoing antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster, arguing the companies hold a monopoly over the live event ticketing industry. That case followed intense criticism of the 2022 Taylor Swift Eras Tour ticket rollout.
The FTC’s lawsuit adds to growing legal pressure on Ticketmaster and Live Nation as regulators push back against the dominance and pricing practices of the live entertainment giant. The outcome could reshape the ticketing landscape for fans, artists and venues alike.
