Ticombo Accuses IOC of Monopoly Practices on Olympic Ticketing

Ticket resale platform Ticombo has filed an anti-trust complaint with the European Commission, alleging the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has abused its market dominance by restricting independent resale of tickets for major sporting events.

According to Ticombo, the IOC’s exclusive control over ticket sales for competitions like the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the Milano Cortina 2026 effectively locks out other resale platforms. The German company argues that these policies artificially inflate ticket prices and curtail consumer choice.

“By restricting independent resale platforms, the IOC not only limits consumer choice but also undermines the natural balance of the market,” Ticombo said in a statement.

Fans who can no longer attend events, Ticombo asserts, are forced to use the IOC’s official resale platform, where tickets can only be resold at face value plus a platform fee. The company contends this practice prevents prices from dropping when demand is low, denying consumers potentially cheaper resale options. Ticombo, which allows users to list tickets below face value, says this open approach offers more flexibility to both buyers and sellers.

Such rules – often referred to as “price floors” are a regular feature of closed ticket resale marketplaces subject to the control of event organizers. They are designed specifically to keep ticket prices from falling too far below what organizers hope to charge for unsold ticket inventory – often forcing consumers to spend far more than they would on tickets listed for sale on an unrestricted marketplace.

Read More: Tanking Tulsa Date Shows Bruce Springsteen Employing Price Floors on Ticketmaster

Should the legal action succeed, it could significantly alter how the Olympics and other major sporting events handle ticketing. Over the past decade, e-ticketing has allowed rights-holders to more tightly regulate the resale market, often to uphold minimum price thresholds and manage who can attend.

The European Commission confirmed receiving the complaint and will evaluate it under standard procedures. An IOC spokesperson said the organization only became aware of the complaint through the media and declined further comment.

This is not the first time Ticombo has pursued legal remedies. In 2024, it filed a lawsuit against UEFA over ticket resale policies for the UEFA 2024 European Championships. The platform also challenged the Belgian state in court, claiming that the nation’s legal restrictions on secondary ticketing discriminated against firms in the industry.

The global secondary market has grown significantly, with major resale platforms forging partnerships with top-tier sports properties. Viagogo, for example, has established deals with Manchester City, the Alpine F1 team, and the European Handball Federation to serve as a primary and resale ticket partner.