In response to a recent Biden administration initiative to ban hidden fees, Ticketmaster has announced changes to its pricing strategy. The company will now display the full price of tickets from the beginning of the shopping process in compliance with the new rule established by the Federal Trade Commission in December. This rule requires ticket sellers, hotels, and vacation rental platforms to disclose all fees upfront to consumers.
Ticketmaster expressed support for the FTC’s action, with Chief Operating Officer Michael Wichser stating that the company has advocated for transparent pricing to become the industry standard. In addition to showing customers their place in line when purchasing tickets, Ticketmaster will provide real-time updates for wait times exceeding 30 minutes, informing customers about ticket availability, pricing ranges, and new event dates.
The changes implemented by Ticketmaster aim to align North American practices with those in other parts of the world where full ticket prices are typically shown at the start of the shopping process. Similarly, SeatGeek, another ticket platform, has updated its features to make all-in pricing the default setting, emphasizing the importance of clear pricing for fans.
Ticketmaster, operated by Live Nation, is the largest ticket seller globally, processing millions of tickets annually. The company faced scrutiny in 2022 when its website crashed during a presale for Taylor Swift’s tour due to overwhelming demand and bot attacks. In response to industry challenges, both the U.S. Department of Justice and President Donald Trump have taken steps to address ticket pricing transparency and anti-competitive practices within the live events sector.
