The FTC has filed a lawsuit against Ticketmaster and Live Nation, accusing them of collaborating with brokers to bypass limits, conceal fees, and inflate ticket prices. The case highlights concerns over unfair practices in live event ticketing.

Washington

The Federal Trade Commission, joined by bipartisan state attorneys general, has filed a lawsuit against Ticketmaster and its parent company Live Nation, accusing them of orchestrating a scheme to raise ticket prices. The lawsuit alleges that Ticketmaster, which controls a significant portion of the U.S. concert venue market, collaborates with brokers who bypass ticket purchase limits by creating fake accounts, allowing them to purchase large quantities of tickets for resale at inflated prices. 

According to the FTC, Live Nation has been aware of these practices and has profited from additional fees generated by the resale of tickets, most of which are sold by professional scalpers. The lawsuit also points to deceptive advertising practices by resale platforms, which can mislead fans into overpaying for tickets that are still available at face value from venues. This case follows previous government actions against Live Nation for alleged anti-competitive behavior.

Ticketmaster, Live Nation sued over ticket price inflation sceme

The Federal Trade Commission is suing Ticketmaster and its parent company Live Nation, the FTC alleging a scheme to raise ticket prices. The FTC and a group of bipartisan state's attorneys general saying Ticketmaster puts a limit on how many tickets you can buy for an event supposedly to stop scalpers. But the FTC alleges the company coordinates with ticket brokers who then bypass those limits. Those brokers create fake accounts to scoop up millions of dollars worth of tickets. They mark up the tickets and then resell them on Ticketmaster and Ticketmaster cashes in from those additional fees. Keep in mind, Ticketmaster controls about 80 percent of all major U.S. concert venues. Scripps News has reached out to Ticketmaster, but we have yet to hear back. Steven Parker is the executive director of the National Independent Venue Association. Mr. Parker, thanks for being with us. Tell me how this affects the average fan just trying to go to an event. What the FTC had in their filing today suing Live Nation is shocking. It showed that Live Nation sold about 3.8 million resale tickets in 2019, and that has ballooned since the pandemic to more than 20 million. Eighty percent of the tickets sold on Ticketmaster's resale, according to the FTC, are from professional scalpers. The FTC's filing shows that Live Nation knew that brokers and scalpers and resale predatory resellers were bypassing their security systems, and they let it happen because they were profiting. It's a huge betrayal of trust. The largest price increases since the pandemic have been in the resale market. And after today, we know that the largest driver of that was Live Nation. And ultimately, that's bad for fans, and it's bad for independent venues and promoters that I work for. It sounds like you're saying the scalpers have gone high tech. They're no longer the people waiting for you in the parking lot and coming up to you with a set of tickets. It sounds like they've gone high tech. They have. And they're also posting tickets that they don't own, something called speculative tickets. They're using bots to look at what's on venue websites for sale for shows. And then they're deceiving fans by paying for advertising that places their results above the results that will get them a ticket at face value. Fans are deceived into thinking that they're buying from the venue. They pay, in some cases, 10 to 20 to 30 times more for a ticket that's still available for sale from the venue for as little as $20 or $25. In some cases, we've seen people pay $1,000 for a ticket that they could have gotten $25 from an independent venue. Scalpers are the surge of the live entertainment system, and now we know that Live Nation was helping them be that. I wanted to stop you there because what you just said caused my jaw to drop. You're saying that we are paying that much more for a ticket that we could buy. Where would we buy the ticket if we're not buying it from Ticketmaster or Live Nation? Most people click on the first link that appears when they're searching on Google. Unfortunately, because of the ridiculous resources that resale platforms like StubHub have to put their results above those of independent venues, festivals across the country, people click on that first link out of habit. Ultimately, when they click on that first link, a lot of times what's waiting for them is not a ticket that's cheaper than what they can get from a venue. It is a ticket that is far more expensive. There is a venue in New Orleans that had tickets for sale for $25 for a show on a Tuesday night. They were listed on StubHub for $1,000, and tickets were still available from them. This is happening every day. StubHub, based on their S-1 filing that was filed to the Federal Trade Commission, they're spending a billion dollars every year on advertising, and we can't compete. Venues can't compete with that amount of funding that's trying to get scalper tickets before those that are still available have face value from venues. It's a problem, and it's one that we hope this lawsuit will address. I gotta tell you, when I see a ticket, and in one site it says it's $1,000, and the other site it says it's $25, guess which one I think is the bootleg ticket? I think the cheaper ticket is the one that I'm gonna get messed over on. Is that common? Well, if you're clicking on Vivid Seats or StubHub, what's happening is that they have this deceptive messaging that says that it's the last ticket remaining, only 1% of tickets remain. And fans recognize those brands, and they think that they're trusted, but they're not. And now we know that Live Nation is the problem as well. And I'll also just add that Live Nation, this is an additional case against Live Nation from the federal government. One was filed last year by the Department of Justice and by 40 state attorneys general that accuses them of anti-competitive practices and being a monopoly.

U.S. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer held a joint news conference to conclude Trump’s state visit to the U.K. Trump acknowledged a disagreement with Starmer over Gaza and Palestinian statehood.

London

Middle East Conflict

Trump, Starmer disagree over Palestinian state as visit wraps

A group of 22 young climate activists is suing the Trump administration in hopes of blocking three executive orders promoting the use of fossil fuels.

Missoula

Young climate activists sue Trump over fossil fuel orders

A CDC advisory panel voted to shift its guidance on immunising children under 4 with the combined measles, mumps, rubella, varicella vaccine. Instead of the combined shot, the advisory panel voted to recommend the age group get an MMR vaccine and a varicella vaccine separately.

Atlanta

CDC updates guidance on MMRV vaccine for young children

ABC confirmed that the popular late-night show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" has been "preempted indefinitely" following comments Kimmel made on the show in response to the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Trump admin under fire after ABC pulls Jimmy Kimmel show

President Trump on Thursday addressed ABC's decision to pre-empt "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" over comments Kimmel made about the shooting of Charlie Kirk. CBS News correspondent Shanelle Kaul has more.

Trump comments on Jimmy Kimmel being pulled off air

The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to allow the president to fire Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. CBS News' Kelly O'Grady reports.

Trump asks Supreme Court to allow Lisa Cook firing

U.S. President Donald Trump signaled new action against left-wing groups following the assassination of right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk, targeting the anti-fascist Antifa movement as a "terrorist organisation."

Trump targets Antifa movement as 'terrorist organization'

ABC said that the late-night show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" has been "pre-empted indefinitely" after comments Kimmel made on the show in response to the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Jonathan Vigliotti reports.

New York

ABC suspends Jimmy Kimmel show over Charlie Kirk comments

In southern Pennsylvania, three police officers were fatally shot and two others were injured in a violent incident. Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the attack and searching for leads on the suspect or suspects involved.

Haar Road

Three police officers killed, two wounded in Pennsylvania shooting

Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang said the U.S. and Beijing "have larger agendas to work out" after media reports of China's internet regulator ordering top tech firms to halt purchases of the American company's AI chips and cancel existing orders.

Beijing

China tells tech firms to stop buying Nvidia's AI chips, FT reports

The U.S. Federal Reserve announced that it lowered interest rates by 0.25 percentage points, its first rate cut since December 2024. CBS News MoneyWatch correspondent Kelly O'Grady has more.

Fed cuts interest rates by 0.25 percentage points

Large-scale protests took place in central London in response to Trump’s state visit, with demonstrators highlighting his alleged ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

Trump's historic UK state visit met with protests in Windsor

On the same day a ground offensive was launched in Gaza City, a United Nations Commission of Inquiry report concluded Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, a finding emphatically denied by Israeli officials.

Jerusalem

Israel committing genocide in Gaza, UN inquiry finds

Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, said that foreign laboratory tests on biological samples obtained from her husband showed that he was poisoned.

Yulia Navalnaya says foreign tests show her husband was poisoned

Prosecutors formally changed Tyler Robinson, the suspect in the assassination of Charlie Kirk, and said they intend to seek the death penalty. Authorities also revealed exchanges between Robinson and his roommate.

Utah County

Prosecutors formally charge Charlie Kirk shooting suspect

U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrived at Windsor Castle and were greeted by King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Kate, the Prince and Princess of Wales. CBS News' Ed O'Keefe has the latest.

Windsor

Trump greeted by British royal family at Windsor Castle

The eyes of the global financial markets are on the US Federal Reserve. It's expected to be cut later on Wednesday, around a quarter-point. But US President Donald Trump has called repeatedly for much steeper rate cuts.

Global markets watch as Trump challenges Fed independence

The U.S. Secretary of State has visited Qatar a week after Israel attacked a meeting of the Hamas negotiating team in Doha. Marco Rubio met Qatar's Prime Minister and the Emir, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani.

Doha

Marco Rubio visits Doha, holds talks with Emir and PM

Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray provided updates Tuesday on the case against Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old accused of fatally shooting Charlie Kirk. Robinson is charged with seven counts, including aggravated murder. The state is seeking the death penalty.

Charlie Kirk shooting suspect charged with murder

A judge has dismissed two state terrorism-related charges against Luigi Mangione, the 27-year-old accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last December. CBS News' Anna Schecter has more details.

Luigi Mangione's state terrorism charges dismissed in CEO killing

Israel said it has launched its ground offensive in Gaza City. It comes as a United Nations inquiry finds that Israel's nearly two-year war on Gaza is a genocide. Israeli leaders have denounced the report as "distorted and false."

Israel launches main phase of ground offensive in Gaza City

U.S. President Donald Trump becomes the first U.S. president to receive a second state visit as Britain faces protests over immigration and growing support for the pro-Trump Reform Party. CBS News correspondent Ed O'Keefe reports from London.

Trump begins state visit to London amid rising political tensions

U.S. President Donald Trump announced Monday (Sept. 15) the U.S. military carried out a second strike against an alleged Venezuelan drug boat. CBS News' Charlie D'Agata has the latest.

Caracas

Trump announces second U.S. strike on alleged Venezuelan drug boat

U.S. President Donald Trump threatened investigations into the ‘radical left,’ following the shooting death of Charlie Kirk. Vice-President J.D. Vance on Kirk’s podcast encouraged people to turn in those who celebrated the conservative commentator’s killing.

Charlie Kirk’s killing prompts broad threats from Trump administration

The United States and China reached a framework agreement to switch short-video app TikTok to U.S.-controlled ownership, U.S. officials said.

Washington County

U.S., China reach framework deal on TikTok

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met in Jerusalem with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as close U.S. ally Qatar gathered other Arab nations' leaders for a summit to issue unified condemnation of last week's Israeli airstrike targeting Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital.

What to know about Rubio's trip to Israel, Qatar summit

President Trump announced the U.S. military has carried out a second strike on alleged Venezuelan "narcoterrorists" in international waters. Three men were killed.

Trump announces second strike on alleged drug boat from Venezuela

Arab and Islamic leaders are gathering in Qatar for an emergency summit following an Israeli attack on Hamas leaders in Doha. The meeting aims to show unity and increase pressure on Israel.

Arab, Islamic leaders meet in Qatar after Israeli attack on Hamas

HBO's medical drama, "The Pitt" beat out heavily-favored Apple TV's "Severance" for outstanding drama series at the Emmy Awards. Meanwhile, Apple TV's "The Studio" walked away with 13 awards and broke the Emmy record for the most wins by a comedy in a single season.

Breakdown