Utah and FTC Sue Live Nation, Ticketmaster for Hiding Fees and Enabling Scalpers

Salt Lake City, Utah — September 18, 2025

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and a coalition of states have sued Live Nation and Ticketmaster, alleging the companies deceptively hid ticket fees, misrepresented prices, and encouraged brokers to skirt security measures—leading to millions of tickets resold at inflated secondary-market prices.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, was led by the Utah Department of Commerce’s Division of Consumer Protection (DCP) and the Office of the Utah Attorney General (OAG). Joining states include Florida, Illinois, Virginia, Nebraska, Tennessee, and Colorado.

Utah claims Live Nation and Ticketmaster:

Hid Mandatory Fees: Displayed low base prices but tacked on undisclosed fees at checkout, averaging 24%–44% of the total cost. From 2019–2024, this generated $11 billion in fee revenue for Ticketmaster, with U.S. consumers paying $16.4 billion overall.
Enabled Secondary-Market Scalping: Since at least 2018, the companies allegedly sold millions of tickets to brokers who bypassed enforcement tools, allowing resale at markups of hundreds of millions more than primary-market prices.
Misled on Limits and Security: Falsely claimed strict per-event ticket limits and robust anti-bot measures, funneling fans to overpriced resellers.

The suit invokes the Utah Consumer Sales Practices Act for deceptive practices and the federal Better Online Ticket Sales Act (BOTS Act) to curb circumvention of purchase rules.

Attorney General Derek Brown, who assumed office on January 6, 2025, after his election victory, brings extensive legal and policy expertise to the role. A former Utah House Majority Leader and chief legal counsel to Sen. Mike Lee, Brown has a track record of championing consumer protection and limited government, positioning the AG's office as Utah's "leading law firm" to uphold the Constitution and safeguard citizens.

“Anyone who’s tried buying concert tickets only to get slammed with sneaky fees—or discover a ‘sold-out’ show—knows the frustration. Utah says ‘no more’ to Ticketmaster’s bait-and-switch with scalpers, which inflates prices far beyond artists’ intent,” said Brown. “We’re cracking down to ensure fans get fair access without being victimized.”

“Live Nation and Ticketmaster have eroded trust by hiding fees and misleading on limits and security, violating consumer laws and the ticket-buying experience,” said Margaret Woolley Busse, Executive Director of the Utah Department of Commerce. “Our Division of Consumer Protection is committed to pricing transparency and holding them accountable for fairness.”

The case stems from an investigation by DCP Director Katherine Hass and OAG attorneys Douglas Crapo, Marilee Miller, and Stevenson Smith. It targets practices that have long frustrated fans, echoing broader scrutiny of the 2010 Live Nation-Ticketmaster merger.

To see the full complaint, click here.