Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers has announced his decision to join the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in a legal battle against Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation Entertainment. This move comes on the heels of Nebraska and Iowa’s earlier involvement in a Department of Justice lawsuit against Ticketmaster, which also included participation from 30 other states in August 2024.
The FTC’s lawsuit claims that Ticketmaster has engaged in practices that breach both state and federal laws, primarily relating to deceptive fees and ticket limit regulations as well as violations of the Better Online Ticket Sales (BOTS) Act. Hilgers highlighted concerns that Ticketmaster advertises deceptively low ticket prices to lure customers, only for those prices to escalate by as much as 30% due to mandatory fees that are tacked on during the purchasing process.
One of the critical issues raised involves Ticketmaster’s ticket limit practices. According to Hilgers, the company places restrictions on the number of tickets that an individual can purchase to circumvent the resale of tickets at inflated prices. However, he noted that despite these restrictions, resellers are often allowed to bypass them, resulting in unfair advantages that contribute to inflated market prices.
In addition, Hilgers accused Ticketmaster of violating the BOTS Act by permitting resellers to disregard purchasing rules, enabling them to resell tickets on its platform at significantly higher prices. He asserted that these practices hinder fans’ ability to attend events at reasonable prices while allowing Ticketmaster to benefit financially by ignoring established regulations.
“We are proud to join the Federal Trade Commission and our sister states in protecting performers and fans from unlawful practices that drive up ticket prices. Consumers deserve access to fair ticket prices from the largest ticket company in America. We are grateful to our federal partners for the opportunity to join them in standing up for performers and fans,” Hilgers stated.
The lawsuit aims to halt Ticketmaster’s alleged unlawful practices, impose penalties for violations of state laws, and seek monetary relief where applicable. This legal action underscores an increasing scrutiny of Ticketmaster’s operations, reflecting concerns from both consumers and state officials regarding fair access to ticketing in the entertainment industry.
