Ticketmaster quietly adds new hidden charges to cover crackdown on ‘junk fees,’ report says Months after U.S. regulators banned surprise fees that appear while purchasing tickets, Ticketmaster raised the cost of other fees to “offset the revenue loss,” according to a report. The company had previously vowed to display all-in ticket pricing upfront after a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ban on so-called “junk fees” took effect in May 2025. While Ticketmaster stopped charging small amounts it tacked on at checkout to comply with the rules, it increased the price of other fees to make up for the loss, documents obtained by The Guardian revealed. In an email to the Findlay Toyota Center in Arizona last year, Ticketmaster stated, “To account for the loss of order processing revenue, we must adjust fees to offset the revenue loss.” The venue had eliminated its $6 order processing fee but raised its service fee by $2 per ticket. The Guardian obtained copies of Ticketmaster’s contracts with 26 venues nationwide, most of which included an order processing fee similar to the one mentioned in the email. However, such fees are no longer allowed under FTC rules. At least eight venues amended their contracts to raise other fees following the all-in pricing rules, according to the report. Grouping an illegal fee with another charge could violate the FTC’s rule against misrepresenting fees, which took effect in May 2025. John Newman, a former economist at the FTC, warned that Ticketmaster may effectively still be charging the fee by disguising it as something else. “That type of behavior can run afoul of the FTC rule,” he said. The Independent has contacted Ticketmaster for comment. In a statement to The Guardian, the company said, “Since May 2025, tickets on Ticketmaster.#ticketmaster #live_nation_entertainment #ftc #the_guardian #findlay_toyota_center
Live Nation CEO says it’s ‘disgusting’ that an employee talked about ‘robbing fans blind’ Michael Rapino, CEO of Live Nation Entertainment, testified in a civil antitrust trial in Manhattan, calling it “disgusting” that a top ticketing employee used internal messages to describe charging fans high fees as “robbing them blind.” The trial involves roughly two dozen states accusing Live Nation of operating as a monopoly by leveraging its control over ticketing, venues, and advertising to charge excessive fees. Rapino, who has led the company since 2005, faced scrutiny over rising ticket costs, exclusivity deals, and profit margins. During cross-examination, Rapino was questioned about internal communications from 2022 involving Ben Baker, then-head of ticketing for Venue Nation, a Live Nation division. In a Slack message, Baker wrote, “robbing them blind baby. That’s how we do,” to which a colleague replied, “lol.” Rapino condemned the remark, calling it “disgusting and not the way we operate.” Another message from Baker referred to VIP fees as “f—ing outrageous,” adding, “these people are so stupid.” Baker later testified that his comments were “indefensible” and expressed shock at the prices fans were willing to pay. Rapino defended Live Nation’s business model, stating he is “very proud” of the company’s growth. He acknowledged that fees for tickets, parking, food, and seating at Live Nation-owned venues come from fans but denied calling these charges “outrageous.” When asked about a 20% fee Ticketmaster charges for secondary market ticket sales, Rapino dismissed the idea of capping such fees, saying, “I’m the only one that says I want to cap secondary, so it goes against the motive you’re trying to deliver.#live_nation_entertainment #michael_rapino #manhattan #ben_baker #venue_nation
