FTC, states sue Ticketmaster over illegal resales

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and seven states sued Ticketmaster and its parent company Live Nation on Thursday, accusing the ticketing giant of using illegal resale tactics that cost fans billions of dollars.

The lawsuit alleges Ticketmaster worked with brokers to grab large volumes of tickets, then resold them at steep markups. It claims that an internal review found five brokers owned 6,345 Ticketmaster accounts that held 246,407 tickets.

Regulators also say the company misled consumers by advertising lower prices than they ultimately paid.

The lawsuit, filed in a California federal court, seeks civil penalties and other monetary relief. States joining the case include Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Nebraska, Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia.

The action highlights a frustration long felt by fans and musicians: tickets vanish quickly, only to reappear at inflated prices.

Between 2019 and 2024, Ticketmaster reportedly collected $3.7 billion from resold tickets, while consumers spent over $82 billion on the platform.

The case adds to growing federal scrutiny of Live Nation, which already faces a Justice Department lawsuit accusing it of operating an illegal monopoly.