AT A GLANCE
- The FTC and seven states sued Ticketmaster and Live Nation for allegedly working with ticket brokers and deceiving consumers.
- The companies are accused of allowing mass purchases by resellers despite posted limits, inflating resale prices.
- The lawsuit also targets hidden fees that mislead buyers at checkout.
- Scrutiny of Ticketmaster escalated after its 2022 meltdown during Taylor Swift’s “Eras” Tour presale.
Allegations of Coordinated Reselling Reignited After Taylor Swift Eras Tour Crash
The Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit Thursday in California District Court accusing Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation, of illegal and deceptive practices that drove up ticket prices for consumers. The FTC says the companies allowed ticket brokers to “routinely and substantially” exceed ticket limits, sometimes using “thousands of Ticketmaster accounts” to buy in bulk, only to resell them at a markup.
Seven states — Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Nebraska, Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia — joined the case.
Deceptive Pricing at Checkout
The complaint also targets the companies’ use of hidden and misleading fees. According to the FTC, Ticketmaster intentionally obscured service charges on its purchasing platform, causing fans to pay “significantly more” than the advertised price.
FTC Commissioner Andrew Ferguson said the lawsuit was about protecting families and music fans from inflated costs: “It should not cost an arm and a leg to take the family to a baseball game or attend your favorite musician’s show.”
Background: Swift Backlash and DOJ Action
Ticketmaster has faced mounting criticism since 2022, when sales for Taylor Swift’s “Eras” Tour crashed its platform. The incident intensified public and political scrutiny over automated bot purchases and reseller practices.
In 2024, the Justice Department sued the companies for allegedly violating antitrust agreements. The latest FTC case builds on that momentum, following an executive order signed by Trump in March aimed at curbing unfair ticketing practices.
Ongoing Federal Investigations
The lawsuit follows reports that the FTC expanded its probe into Ticketmaster and Live Nation earlier this year, a review that began under former Commissioner Lina Khan. Just last month, the agency filed a separate case against a group accused of flooding Ticketmaster with bulk purchases and reselling tickets for millions in profit.
Live Nation has denied wrongdoing in both cases.
