Ticketmaster to Show Full Ticket Prices Upfront Under New Federal Transparency Rule

Ticketmaster has announced it will begin displaying full ticket prices upfront as part of its response to a new federal rule aimed at increasing price transparency and eliminating so-called “junk fees,” the Independent reports.

The change coincides with the Biden administration regulation, which went into effect on Monday, targeting hidden fees across several industries, including ticketing, hospitality, and vacation rentals. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) finalized the rule in December 2024, requiring businesses to disclose all mandatory charges—such as processing and cleaning fees—at the beginning of a transaction rather than at checkout.

Ticketmaster, which has frequently faced criticism over its pricing practices, said it supports the rule and plans to implement full pricing transparency on its platform.

“Ticketmaster has long advocated for all-in pricing to become the nationwide standard so fans can easily compare prices across all ticketing sites,” said Michael Wichser, the company’s Chief Operating Officer.

The company, owned by Live Nation, processes more than 500 million tickets annually in over 30 countries and handles the sale of about 70% of tickets for major US concert venues. Monday’s update will bring its North American operations in line with practices in other parts of the world, where complete ticket pricing is typically displayed from the outset of a shopping experience.

As part of broader improvements, Ticketmaster also said it will now provide:

• Real-time queue updates for buyers waiting more than 30 minutes

• Notifications on ticket availability and price ranges

• Alerts about newly added event dates

Competitor SeatGeek also responded to the new rule by making all-in pricing its default setting.

“Fans deserve pricing that’s clear from the start,” said SeatGeek CEO Jack Groetzinger.

These changes follow heightened scrutiny of the ticketing industry. Ticketmaster has faced backlash since its website crashed during the 2022 Taylor Swift presale, which the company blamed on high demand and bot activity. The incident drew consumer complaints and political attention.

The US Department of Justice filed a lawsuit last year accusing Live Nation and Ticketmaster of maintaining an illegal monopoly that inflates ticket prices. The case is still pending.

Additionally, President Donald Trump has also weighed in on ticketing reform. In March, he signed an executive order requiring the FTC to enforce pricing transparency and address anti-competitive behavior in the ticketing industry.

“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,” said Kid Rock, who was present at the order’s signing.