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Ticketmaster Implements All-In Pricing Amidst “Junk Fee” Ban
As the Biden administration’s prohibition on so-called “junk fees” commenced on Monday, Ticketmaster announced it will begin displaying the comprehensive cost of a ticket right from the start of the shopping process. This move aims to enhance ticket price transparency and align with new regulations targeting hidden charges in the industry.
FTC’s “Junk Fee” Ban and Ticketmaster’s Response
Ticketmaster, a frequent target of complaints concerning concealed fees, was directly impacted by the new regulation, initially declared by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in December. The directive mandates that ticket vendors, hotels, holiday rental platforms, and similar businesses transparently reveal all processing fees, cleaning costs, and supplementary charges upfront.
On Monday, Ticketmaster conveyed its endorsement of the FTC’s initiative.
“Ticketmaster has long advocated for all-in pricing to become the nationwide standard so fans can easily compare prices across all ticketing sites,” stated Ticketmaster Chief Operating Officer Michael Wichser.
Enhanced Customer Experience and Transparency
In addition to upfront pricing, Ticketmaster is also implementing measures to improve the overall customer experience:
- Providing shoppers with their position in the online queue when purchasing event tickets.
- Delivering real-time updates to customers experiencing wait times exceeding 30 minutes, including ticket price ranges, availability, and notifications about newly added event dates.
Global Alignment and Past Controversies
Ticketmaster, a subsidiary of Beverly Hills, California-based concert promoter Live Nation, stands as the world’s leading ticket distributor, managing 500 million tickets annually across more than 30 nations. Roughly 70% of tickets for major concert venues in the United States are sold through Ticketmaster.
Ticketmaster officials stated that the changes initiated Monday bring North America into harmony with the rest of the global market, in which the total ticket price is exhibited as soon as patrons initiate their shopping expedition.
Scrutiny Following Taylor Swift Presale Incident
The company has faced intense scrutiny since 2022 when its site experienced outages during a presale event for Taylor Swift’s stadium tour. Ticketmaster attributed the disruption to an overwhelming surge of both legitimate fans and bot attacks designed to acquire tickets for resale on secondary markets. Countless individuals forfeited tickets after enduring lengthy online queues.
Legal Challenges and Executive Actions
Last year, the U.S. Department of Justice initiated legal action against Ticketmaster and Live Nation, alleging an unlawful monopoly that inflates U.S. ticket prices and seeking a court-ordered dissolution. The case remains ongoing.
Furthermore, President Donald Trump also addressed the issue. In March, he signed an executive order intended to curb ticket scalping and introduce “commonsense” reforms to the pricing of live events.
Executive Order Mandates Price Transparency
According to the order, the FTC must ensure “price transparency at all stages of the ticket-purchase process” and enforce measures to prevent unfair, deceptive, and anti-competitive practices related to ticket fees.
“Anyone who’s bought a concert ticket in the last decade, maybe 20 years — no matter what your politics are — knows that it’s a conundrum,” remarked Kid Rock, who accompanied Trump in the Oval Office during the signing of the order.