Baltimore, MD – On September 18, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), joined by seven states including Virginia, filed a lawsuit against Ticketmaster LLC and its parent company, Live Nation Entertainment, Inc., accusing them of illegal ticket resale practices and deceptive pricing that have cost consumers billions. The complaint, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, alleges the companies colluded with ticket brokers to bypass purchase limits, inflating prices and fees for concertgoers nationwide, including fans in Southern Maryland attending events at venues like Merriweather Post Pavilion.
The FTC claims Ticketmaster, which controls about 80 percent of primary ticketing for major U.S. concert venues, knowingly allowed brokers to harvest millions of dollars in tickets by evading security measures. From 2019 to 2024, consumers spent over $82.6 billion on Ticketmaster, with the company earning $16.4 billion in fees, including $3.7 billion from resales. Brokers, using thousands of accounts and proxy IP addresses, purchased tickets far beyond artist-set limits, reselling them on Ticketmaster’s platform at significant markups. For instance, five brokers controlled 6,345 accounts, holding 246,407 tickets across 2,594 events, per internal reviews cited in the complaint.
“President Donald Trump made it clear in his March Executive Order that the federal government must protect Americans from being ripped off when they buy tickets to live events,” said FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson. “American live entertainment is the best in the world and should be accessible to all of us. It should not cost an arm and a leg to take the family to a baseball game or attend your favorite musician’s show. The Trump-Vance FTC is working hard to ensure that fans have a shot at buying fair-priced tickets, and today’s lawsuit is a monumental step in that direction.”
The lawsuit details how Ticketmaster’s practices violate the FTC Act and the Better Online Ticket Sales Act. The agency alleges the company used “bait-and-switch” pricing, advertising low ticket prices only to add mandatory fees—sometimes up to 44 percent of the ticket cost—at checkout. Internal documents reveal Ticketmaster knew this deterred purchases when fees were disclosed upfront but continued the practice to boost profits. From 2019 to 2024, these fees totaled $16.4 billion, significantly impacting fans’ costs. The FTC also accuses Ticketmaster of supporting brokers through its TradeDesk software, which helps manage mass ticket purchases for resale, despite public claims of opposing such practices. A senior executive admitted in an email to Live Nation leadership that the company “turn a blind eye as a matter of policy” to brokers’ violations.
For Southern Maryland residents, who often travel to venues like Merriweather Post Pavilion or Capital One Arena for concerts, these practices hit close to home. The region’s music fans, drawn to events featuring artists like those from the 2022 Taylor Swift Eras Tour—whose botched ticket sales sparked earlier scrutiny—face inflated prices when brokers dominate ticket sales. The FTC’s complaint notes that Ticketmaster declined stronger anti-bot measures, like third-party identity verification, because they would reduce revenue. This allowed brokers to exploit events, leaving fans paying far above face value.
The lawsuit follows years of regulatory pressure. In 2024, the Department of Justice and 30 states sued to break up Ticketmaster and Live Nation, citing antitrust violations. That case, still ongoing, alleges the companies’ monopoly drives up prices through exclusive venue contracts. The FTC’s current action, supported by Virginia, Utah, Florida, Tennessee, Nebraska, Illinois, and Colorado, seeks civil penalties and monetary relief. The Commission’s 2-0-1 vote, with Commissioner Melissa Holyoak recused, underscores the case’s weight.
Maryland’s involvement resonates locally, as the state’s Attorney General has prioritized consumer protection. The FTC’s findings align with complaints from Southern Maryland concertgoers, who face steep fees when attending shows in nearby Washington, D.C., or Columbia. For example, a $100 ticket at Merriweather could balloon to $144 with fees, per the FTC’s data. The lawsuit aims to curb these practices, potentially lowering costs for fans and ensuring artists’ pricing intentions are honored.
The case also builds on a March 2025 executive order by President Trump, directing the FTC to combat unfair ticketing practices. Earlier probes, including a 2022 investigation into Ticketmaster’s Eras Tour debacle, exposed systemic issues with bots and resellers. The FTC’s August 2025 lawsuit against a Maryland-based broker, Key Investment Group, further highlighted how brokers exploit Ticketmaster’s platform, purchasing 379,776 tickets for $57 million and reselling them for $64 million.
As the case proceeds, Southern Maryland fans may see relief if the court imposes penalties or reforms. The FTC’s push for transparency and fair pricing could reshape ticketing at regional venues, making concerts more accessible. For now, residents are advised to check ticket prices carefully and report deceptive practices to the FTC’s consumer portal. The court will decide the outcome, but the lawsuit signals a broader effort to hold ticketing giants accountable.
