Ticketmaster Resale Returns to Broker-Focused Conferences Despite Past Controversy
ConferencesIndustryTop Story July 8, 2021
In 2018, Ticketmaster came under significant fire over reports detailing the company’s deep relationships with large-scale ticket resale operators. Its so-called “secret scalper program” brought scrutiny from public officials, condemnation from members of the public, and a number of lawsuits alleging that the largest ticketing operation in the world... Read more
A California government official has proposed legislation that would ban Ticketmaster’s “secret scalper program,” TradeDesk, from selling tickets on the secondary market. According to the Toronto Star, Assembly Member Bill Quirk proposed the legislation following scathing reports last year exposing TradeDesk. During the annual Ticket Summit conference in Las Vegas, held... Read more
A federal judge in California ruled in favor of Ticketmaster’s request that a class action lawsuit brought in the state over the company’s relationship with ticket brokers be moved to arbitration, per the fine print in the terms and conditions fans must accept while buying on its system. The... Read more
A California judge tentatively granted Ticketmaster’s request to arbitrate its ongoing “Scalpergate” class-action lawsuit, which alleges that it violated antitrust and consumer protection laws by helping scalpers re-sell tickets. It’s possible the suit could be resolved in confidential proceedings, leaving the public in the dark. The ticketing giant has... Read more
Canada’s Competition Bureau (CCB) found that Ticketmaster’s secret scalper program TradeDesk does not break federal competition legislation and has officially closed its investigation. On Thursday, the CCB said that it is up to the provinces to enforce consumer protection and unfair business practice legislation, and the office of Economic... Read more
Brian Masse, the New Democratic Party of Canada (NDP) Member of Parliament (MP), has requested that the government investigates Ticketmaster following news of its resale practices. Last month, the CBC and Toronto Star reported on the company’s pro-broker resale operations. CBC ran photos of hidden-camera footage showing a Ticketmaster... Read more
Following CBC News/Toronto Star‘s investigation of Ticketmaster’s professional reseller program, multiple artists’ managers are now seeking answers from Ticketmaster over its relationship with scalpers. CBC published leaked emails where notable band managers questioned Ticketmaster president Jared Smith, demanding to know why the ticketing giant is supporting scalpers. The first... Read more
Ticketmaster is under fire from multiple media outlets in the wake of reports by the CBC and the Toronto Star that outlined pro-broker programs the ticketing giant operates. The reports, which discussed the company’s resale branch and its policies, as well as indications that it turns a blind eye... Read more
