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FTC and Seven States Sue Ticketmaster and Live Nation Over Ticketing Practices

By  |  September 18, 2025

The latest targets in the White House’s on-again-off-again antitrust war are Ticketmaster and Live Nation, two companies that have long been the focus of consumer frustration. According to The Verge, the Federal Trade Commission has filed a lawsuit accusing Ticketmaster — which owns Live Nation — of enabling ticket brokers to skirt purchasing limits and then reaping financial rewards from inflated resale prices. The agency alleges that the company profits twice from the same ticket: once at the initial sale and again when it is resold through Ticketmaster’s own platform.

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    The Verge reports that the FTC’s complaint goes further, saying that the company’s leadership has “turned a blind eye as a matter of policy” when it comes to brokers who snap up tickets in bulk. Consumers often end up paying far more than face value, while artists and fans are left with little power to push back. With Ticketmaster controlling about 80 percent of the primary ticketing market in the United States, the agency argues that competition is stifled and customers are left with no fair alternative.

    In its filing, the FTC rejected the notion that Ticketmaster’s failures are simply the result of a “technological arms race” with scalpers. Instead, according to The Verge, the complaint contends that the company’s practices force consumers into the resale market, where Ticketmaster collects “another round of fees.” The lawsuit, brought in California District Court, has been joined by seven states: Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Nebraska, Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia.

    Read more: Live Nation Taps Trump Ally Richard Grenell Amid DOJ Lawsuit

    The Verge also noted that the complaint accuses the companies of “tacitly” coordinating with brokers, allowing them to exceed ticket-buying limits imposed by both artists and the platform itself. The FTC claims that thousands of Ticketmaster accounts have been tied to just a handful of brokers, who systematically hoard tickets for resale at steep markups. Beyond that, the agency alleges that deceptive pricing practices — such as obscuring fees until checkout — have been part of the companies’ standard operations.

    This legal action follows years of growing scrutiny. In 2022, Ticketmaster faced backlash after its website crashed during sales for Taylor Swift’s “Eras” Tour, a fiasco that reignited questions about automated bots and resale schemes. According to The Verge, the Justice Department had already filed a separate lawsuit in 2024 accusing Live Nation and Ticketmaster of monopolistic behavior. Meanwhile, earlier this year, former President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at protecting consumers from unfair ticketing practices.

    The FTC’s latest lawsuit is one of several efforts to rein in the ticketing giant. Just last month, the agency sued individuals accused of flooding Ticketmaster with purchase requests and reselling tickets for millions in profit. While Live Nation has denied wrongdoing in the past, a spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment on this case.

    Source: The Verge