Ticketmaster and its parent company Live Nation were unable to halt a lawsuit filed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and seven states, including Florida, over alleged deceptive practices related to pricing, purchase limits, and the resale of tickets for concerts and other events.
A federal judge from the Central District of California rejected the motion by the companies to have the case dismissed before moving on to the next phases of the process.
The order, submitted on September 28, allows the lawsuit to proceed, although it does not imply that Ticketmaster or Live Nation have been found liable for the actions attributed to them by the authorities.
The judicial decision itself emphasizes that, at this stage, the court is not determining whether the allegations are true, but rather whether the FTC and the states presented legally sufficient claims to keep the case alive.
The official FTC record maintains the procedure as pending and includes the decision among its most recent actions.
What does the FTC accuse Ticketmaster and Live Nation of?
The lawsuit was filed in September 2025 by the FTC along with Florida, Colorado, Illinois, Nebraska, Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia.
Among the main accusations is a supposed bait-and-switch pricing strategy: initially showing the consumer a lower price than what they ultimately had to pay once certain mandatory fees were added during the purchasing process.
The FTC also claims that Ticketmaster announced strict limits on the number of tickets a person could purchase, while some large resellers allegedly managed to bypass those restrictions through multiple accounts and other techniques.
According to the lawsuit, an internal review cited by the agency reportedly found that only five brokers or resellers controlled 6,345 accounts and had acquired 246,407 tickets for 2,594 events.
The FTC also claims that certain fees associated with tickets generated approximately $16.4 billion between 2019 and 2024. These figures are part of the government's allegations and will still need to be proven during the process.
Florida's role in the case
Florida does not merely appear as an observer in the litigation. The Office of the Attorney General of the state is one of the plaintiffs.
In its complaint, Florida alleges possible violations of state law against deceptive and unfair trade practices, known as FDUTPA, as well as claims related to the federal BOTS Act.
The state requests various types of remedies, including precautionary measures, restitution to consumers, possible refunds, civil penalties, and other compensations allowed by law.
What did the court say about purchase limits?
One of the points discussed revolves around the tools that Ticketmaster claims to use to prevent the same person or group from purchasing more tickets than allowed.
The company has, among other mechanisms, controls designed to detect multiple attempts from the same internet address and to analyze linked accounts.
However, the FTC claims that certain resellers used numerous accounts to bypass those controls. The judge concluded that the allegations presented were sufficient at this stage for that part of the case to proceed as well.
Ticketmaster denies the allegations
Live Nation and Ticketmaster have rejected the accusations and stated that they will defend themselves in court.
Live Nation previously informed its investors that it did not consider a loss arising from the proceedings to be likely at that time and stated that it would vigorously defend its position.
After the decision regarding the motion to dismiss was made known, Ticketmaster reiterated its commitment to combating bots and other tools used by professional resellers, asserting that it believes the lawsuit is misguided.
It does not mean that consumers are going to receive money now
The rejection of the motion does not, by itself, create an immediate right to receive refunds, nor does it imply that a penalty has been imposed on Ticketmaster.
The FTC seeks civil penalties and other forms of financial compensation, while Florida is also advocating for various measures for consumers. However, any payment, penalty, or remedy will depend on the outcome of the subsequent litigation or a potential settlement.
The pressure on ticket prices
The legal battle is part of a broader pressure from U.S. authorities on the ticket sales and resale market.
CiberCuba reported in April 2025 that President Donald Trump had signed an executive order to combat excessive prices for concerts and shows, instructing the FTC and the Department of Justice to strengthen the enforcement of regulations against abusive practices and the use of bots.
This regulatory effort should not be confused with this specific litigation: in the currently pending case, the central issue is whether Live Nation and Ticketmaster engaged in the consumer practices described by the FTC and the seven states that are suing.
For now, the court's decision only means that those claims have surpassed the companies' initial attempt to dismiss them and that the case can proceed.
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