From Music Business Worldwide · · 3m
Live Nation Denies FTC Lawsuit Over Ticket Resales
Live Nation calls FTC’s BOTS Act lawsuit 'misguided', says agency is flipping the law against ticket platforms.
In brief
Live Nation calls FTC’s BOTS Act lawsuit 'misguided', says agency is flipping the law against ticket platforms. Live Nation and Ticketmaster deny FTC’s claims that they profited from brokers bypassing ticket limits, arguing the BOTS Act targets scalpers, not ticket platforms. Originally reported by Music Business…
Live Nation denies FTC claims
Live Nation has formally denied the US Federal Trade Commission’s claims that Ticketmaster profited from ticket brokers who got around artists’ ticket limits.
FTC sues Live Nation and Ticketmaster
The FTC and seven states sued Live Nation and Ticketmaster in September 2025, alleging Ticketmaster let brokers use hundreds or thousands of accounts to buy more tickets than artists’ limits allowed.
FTC claims Ticketmaster tripled fees
The complaint says Ticketmaster charged brokers when they bought tickets, charged them again when tickets were resold, and charged fans who bought them on Ticketmaster’s resale market.
FTC alleges misleading pricing
The FTC also claims Ticketmaster misled fans by advertising prices that left out mandatory fees until checkout and misrepresenting how strictly it enforced ticket limits.
FTC seeks $16.4 billion in fees
The complaint alleges consumers paid more than $16.4 billion in mandatory fees on Ticketmaster purchases between 2019 and 2024.
Live Nation calls lawsuit misguided
Live Nation and Ticketmaster called the lawsuit 'misguided' and accused the FTC of trying to 'flip the Act on its head' by using the BOTS Act against them.
BOTS Act targets scalpers
The BOTS Act, a 2016 law aimed at ticket scalpers, is intended to combat bots and other technological exploits that circumvent ticket issuers’ safeguards.
Live Nation defends BOTS Act
Live Nation argues the BOTS Act is designed to support ticket platforms like themselves, not to penalize companies that invest in preventing scalping.
Live Nation claims $1 billion investment
Live Nation states it has invested over $1 billion since 2010 to prevent scalpers’ industrial-scale, technology-driven ticket purchasing and protect fans’ access to primary sales.
Ticketmaster blocks 260 million bot attempts
In 2025, Ticketmaster detected and blocked nearly 260 million daily attempts by bots to access its services and tens of thousands of suspected inauthentic account-creation attempts each day.
Live Nation warns of chilling effect
Live Nation warns the FTC’s approach risks a severe chilling effect on abuse prevention by forcing platforms to abandon security measures.
Judge rejects motion to dismiss
US District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong rejected Live Nation’s request to throw out the case on January 6, 2 as the BOTS Act does not preclude platforms from facing liability.
Live Nation claims no deception
Live Nation denies Ticketmaster engaged in unfair or deceptive acts with respect to pricing or ticket limit disclosures, stating it now employs all-in pricing consistent with FTC rules.
Live Nation seeks to end case
Live Nation and Ticketmaster asked the court to throw out the case on January 6, calling it 'an egregious instance of agency overreach', but the judge rejected their request.
What matters most
Live Nation and Ticketmaster deny FTC’s claims that they profited from brokers bypassing ticket limits, arguing the BOTS Act targets scalpers, not ticket platforms.
