Ticketmaster intentionally screwed fans out of billions, FTC lawsuit says

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has filed a lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster, claiming that these companies knowingly collaborated with scalpers to manipulate ticket prices in the secondary market. According to the FTC's statement, Ticketmaster's longstanding negligence in addressing scalping practices has resulted in substantial financial losses for consumers, amounting to billions of dollars in inflated ticket prices and excessive fees. The lawsuit highlights how artists' attempts to maintain affordable event prices were undermined by corporate greed, with Ticketmaster prioritizing revenue generation through additional fees. Instead of taking action against scalping, the company allegedly provided technical assistance to brokers, enabling them to bypass regulations designed to limit ticket purchases to genuine fans. FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson noted that investigations revealed that several major brokers managed to control numerous fraudulent Ticketmaster accounts, making it nearly impossible for everyday fans to secure reasonably priced tickets. For instance, just one broker reportedly operated over 13,000 accounts from 2020 to 2024 to evade purchasing limits. Internal communications within Ticketmaster suggest that executives recognized the issue but chose to maintain a policy of inaction, as intervening would potentially decrease revenue. In fact, one senior executive admitted in an email that ignoring brokers had become a standard approach. To further entrench its dominance, Ticketmaster allegedly reduced fees for high-volume resellers, encouraging them to utilize its platform for ticket resales. Ferguson emphasized the importance of accessible live entertainment, stating that attending events should not come at exorbitant costs. The FTC's report reveals that Ticketmaster holds a commanding 80 percent share of primary ticketing for major concerts and is increasingly influential in the secondary market, effectively maximizing profits by charging fees at multiple stages of the ticketing process. The commission indicated that Ticketmaster's revenue from these fees has exceeded $11 billion between 2019 and 2024, with nearly $4 billion sourced from resale fees alone.