The lawsuit, filed in federal court in California, accuses Ticketmaster of knowingly allowing ticket brokers to use multiple accounts to bypass purchase limits and acquire thousands of tickets per event for resale at higher prices. This practice, according to the FTC, violates the Better Online Ticket Sales Act and has generated hundreds of millions in revenue through a “triple dip” fee structure, where Ticketmaster collects fees on initial broker purchases and then again from both brokers and consumers on secondary market sales.
FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson emphasized the need to protect consumers from being exploited when purchasing tickets to live events, citing President Trump’s executive order from March that called for federal protection against unfair ticketing practices. The lawsuit comes on the heels of previous legal actions, including the FTC’s suit against a Maryland broker for price-gouging Taylor Swift tour tickets and the Department of Justice’s monopoly suit against Live Nation.
Ticketmaster and Live Nation have been accused of engaging in deceptive pricing tactics, bait-and-switch pricing, and imposing strict limits on ticket purchases while allowing brokers to exceed those limits. The FTC’s complaint alleges that these practices violate the FTC Act’s prohibition on deceptive acts or practices and the BOTS Act, which aims to prevent the use of automated ticket-buying software.
The implications of this lawsuit extend beyond the entertainment industry, touching on broader issues of consumer protection and fair market practices. As the case unfolds, it will be interesting to see how Ticketmaster and Live Nation respond to the allegations and what impact the outcome may have on the ticketing landscape.
In conclusion, the FTC’s lawsuit against Ticketmaster and Live Nation sheds light on the murky world of ticket scalping and raises important questions about ethics and transparency in the live events industry. As the legal battle unfolds, it underscores the need for greater oversight and regulation to ensure that consumers are not taken advantage of in their pursuit of entertainment experiences.
#Ticketmaster #FTC #LiveNation #TicketScalping #ConsumerProtection
References:
– https://www.theverge.com/news/781261/ftc-suing-ticketmaster-antitrust-illegally-coordinating-with-brokers
– https://yro.slashdot.org/story/25/09/18/181207/ftc-and-seven-states-sue-ticketmaster-over-alleged-coordination-with-scalpers?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed
– https://www.fastcompany.com/91406806/ftc-sues-ticketmaster-live-nation-over-ticket-resales
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