Home / Business and Economy / Indie Venues Slam Ticketmaster's "Too Little, Too Late" Anti-Scalper Moves
Indie Venues Slam Ticketmaster's "Too Little, Too Late" Anti-Scalper Moves
21 Oct
Summary
- FTC and 7 states sued Ticketmaster for colluding with scalpers
- Ticketmaster claims it does more than anyone to fight bots and get tickets to fans
- Indie venues say Ticketmaster's new measures are inadequate and too late
On September 18, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and seven states sued Live Nation and Ticketmaster, alleging the companies collude with ticket resellers to enable scalpers. The complaint claims Ticketmaster allows scalpers to buy more tickets than the advertised limit and resell them at inflated prices, violating the Better Online Ticket Sales (BOTS) Act.
In response, Ticketmaster has initiated some new anti-scalper measures. These include requiring resellers to use a Social Security number or taxpayer ID for verification, and deploying AI tools to quickly identify and cancel bot-purchased tickets. The company also plans to discontinue its TradeDesk resale platform, which the FTC alleges was used to mislead customers.
However, the National Association of Independent Venues (NIVA) and the National Independent Talent Organization (NITO) have dismissed Ticketmaster's efforts as "too little and too late." They argue that the lawsuit and Ticketmaster's own letter to Congress demonstrate the company is "in bed with scalpers," benefiting resale platforms like StubHub and Vivid Seats.
The ongoing battle between Ticketmaster, the FTC, and the independent music industry highlights the persistent challenge of curbing ticket resale abuse and ensuring fans have fair access to live events.
