FTC sues Ticketmaster and Live Nation over alleged deceptive pricing and ticketing schemes

The Federal Trade Commission and a bipartisan group of state attorneys general filed a lawsuit Thursday against Ticketmaster’s parent company, Live Nation Entertainment, and its subsidiary over what they describe as deceptive pricing and anti-competitive conduct in the live-events market. The complaint, lodged in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, accuses the companies of advertising lower ticket prices while charging higher prices at checkout, and of falsely claiming to limit how many tickets a consumer can buy for a single event.

According to the FTC, Ticketmaster controls 80% or more of the primary ticketing market for major U.S. venues, and consumers spent more than $82.6 billion buying tickets on Ticketmaster’s platform between 2019 and 2024. The agency said brokers work with fake accounts to purchase millions of dollars worth of tickets and then resell them at a substantial markup through Ticketmaster’s platform, with the companies earning additional fees on those sales. FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson said the alleged practices undermine access to American live entertainment, adding that it should be affordable to take a family to a game or a concert.

The agency framed the suit as part of a broader pattern of scrutiny over the industry. Ticketmaster’s handling of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in 2022 drew widespread attention after fans faced long waits and sold-out events, and it helped prompt renewed congressional interest and inquiries in 2023. Advocates and lawmakers have since pressed for reform to curb “junk fees” and to require more transparent pricing.

The Biden administration moved to curb hidden fees, implementing a rule that requires the display of the full ticket price at the start of the shopping process; the measure took effect in May. Separately, in March, former President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing officials to ensure ticket resellers comply with IRS rules and directing the FTC to take enforcement action to curb unfair, deceptive, and anti-competitive conduct in the secondary ticketing market. In August, the FTC brought a separate enforcement action against Maryland-based ticket broker Key Investment Group for allegedly using thousands of fictitious Ticketmaster accounts to buy tickets for events, including Swift’s tour.

Joining the FTC in the lawsuit were the attorneys general of Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Nebraska, Tennessee, Utah and Virginia. The states said the conduct harms consumers and artists alike and undermines the integrity of the live-events market. Ticketmaster did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Observers note that the case comes as regulators and lawmakers have signaled ongoing willingness to challenge dominant platforms in the ticketing space, even as reform has moved slowly. The industry has long argued that ticket distribution includes legitimate brokers and that price competition remains robust, while opponents maintain that a few players exert outsized influence over pricing, availability and resale. The outcome of the California suit could influence future regulatory actions and industry practices as lawmakers consider additional consumer protections and more scrutiny of primary and secondary ticketing channels.