Ticketing in turmoil as Congress, Live Nation send mixed messages

From Taylor Swift to Oasis, concert ticketing was the focus of more media attention in 2024 than ever. But as the year ends, failed efforts to enact meaningful change by Congress, industry trade groups and the nation’s largest live music company have left concert ticketing in turmoil.

Concert Ticketing in turmoil as Congress, Live Nation send mixed messages

Junk Fees and All-in Prices

One victory for consumer advocates was a US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rule issued this week that requires ticket sellers to disclose total prices including all fees.

The exact level of fee transparency remains in question, but the FTC said the new rule “will make comparison shopping easier, resulting in savings for consumers and levelling the competitive playing field.”

Live Nation and Ticketmaster welcomed the new rule, saying that it had already introduced all-in pricing in 33 states.

“We’ve led the industry by adopting all-in pricing at all Live Nation venues and festivals and applaud the FTC’s industry-wide mandate so fans will now be able to see the total price of a ticket right upfront no matter where they go to see a show or buy a ticket,” the company said in a statement.

American Music Tourism Act and TICKET Act

Two bills that had languished in Congress – the American Music Tourism Act and the TICKET Act – seem suddenly about to become law as part of the massive year-end Continuing Resolution (CR) designed to keep the US Government operating through March.

UDATE: Since President-elect Trump scuttled the current version Wednesday night, it is unclear whether each bill will be included as is, ammended or dropped entirely from future versions of the CR.

Most see the American Music Tourism Act as positive acknowledgement of music’s importance to the greater economy. Unfortunately, while the Act may lead to more unified promotion of music as an economic driver, it doesn’t do anything to fix ticketing.

The TICKET Act could have been a different story.

“Disinformation from multi-billion dollar resale platforms and the organizations they fund… misled Congress”

The version of the TICKET Act now sailing through Congress does not include a full ban on speculative or “fake” tickets and has no enforcement, according to Fix The Tix, a coalition of major industry players including NIVA, NITO, MMF, Eventbrite, Bandsintown., A2IM, RIAA, UMG and Wasserman.

“It is unfortunate that disinformation from multi-billion dollar resale platforms and the organizations they fund – claiming to represent consumers’ interests – misled Congress into including a loophole that allows predatory brokers and resale platforms to sell fake tickets under a different name,” said Executive Director of NIVA Stephen Parker in a statement. “They also prevented so many more common-sense reforms from making it into the final legislation, especially strengthening the BOTS Act.”

Live Nation and Ticketmaster stay silent

Despite having previously called for a ban on speculative ticketing, this time Live Nation and Ticketmaster stayed silent on changes to the TICKET Act called for by Fix The Tix and others that would fully ban fake tickets.

That silence, several sources tell Hypebot, helped tipped the scales in favor of lobbyists for StubHub and other secondary sellers who will profit from the looser rules included in the TICKET Act.

What’s Next?

Where the incoming Trump administration stands on ticket reform is unclear, but most observers see it unlikely that a Republican controlled Congress will prioritize more regulation.

But there is positive motion on the State level, with Maryland and several others putting meaningful limits on ticket sales and resales.

It’s there where consumer and music industry trade groups are likely to focus their efforts in 2025.

Bruce Houghton is the Founder and Editor of Hypebot, a Senior Advisor at Bandsintown, President of the Skyline Artists Agency, and a Berklee College Of Music professor.