The U.S. Federal Trade Commission along with seven states have filed a lawsuit against Live Nation and its subsidiary Ticketmaster, accusing them of enabling ticket brokers to bypass purchase limits and resell tickets at inflated prices, costing fans millions of dollars.
The FTC states that Ticketmaster, which manages approximately 80% of primary ticket sales for major U.S. venues, knowingly permitted brokers to breach artist-imposed ticket limits. As a result, the company is alleged to have earned $3.7 billion in resale fees from 2019 to 2024.
Regulators also accused Ticketmaster of not disclosing the full ticket prices, including fees, upfront, which violates consumer protection laws.
FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson said in a statement; “President Donald Trump made it clear in his March Executive Order that the federal government must protect Americans from being ripped off when they buy tickets to live events.”
“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 Trump-Vance FTC is working hard to ensure that fans have a shot at buying fair-priced tickets, and today’s lawsuit is a monumental step in that direction,” he concluded.
The lawsuit, filed in California, includes participation from Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Nebraska, Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia.
Live Nation shares fell around 2.3% after the announcement.
By CEO NA Editorial Staff
