A federal judge has refused to toss the FTC’s lawsuit against Ticketmaster. As a result, the case now moves into discovery.
What We Know: Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong denied Ticketmaster’s motion to dismiss on Monday. The FTC first sued Ticketmaster and parent company Live Nation in 2025. Specifically, regulators claim the company let brokers dodge purchase limits with hundreds or thousands of fake accounts. Frimpong wrote that the BOTS Act “does not preclude platforms from facing liability.”
What’s at Stake: The ruling means the Better Online Ticket Sales Act can reach platforms, not just individual resellers. Meanwhile, the FTC points to an internal email from a senior executive. In it, the executive admitted the company ignores broker conduct “as a matter of policy.” Additionally, Ticketmaster collected resale fees on its own secondary market.
What Remains Unclear: So far, no court has tested whether the FTC’s allegations hold up at trial. Moreover, Live Nation still faces a pending antitrust appeal and sentencing. Those proceedings could shape how this case unfolds. Furthermore, dozens of state attorneys general want the courts to break up Live Nation and Ticketmaster.
What It Means: For fans, the ruling opens a new path to challenge ticketing abuses at the platform level. In addition, discovery could expose more internal records about broker relationships. For radio and the live music business, the stakes run just as high. After all, concerts, promotions, and ticket giveaways depend on a fair, trusted marketplace.
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