Trump targets ticket scalpers and high live event fees over price-gouging

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: AP

Updated 5:43 PM EDT, March 31, 2025


WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump was signing an executive order Monday that he says will help curb ticket scalping and bring “commonsense” changes to the way live entertainment events are priced.

Designed to stop “price-gouging by middlemen,” the order directs Attorney General Pam Bondi and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to ensure that scalpers offering tickets at higher prices than their face value comply with all Internal Revenue Service rules, according to a fact sheet released by the White House.

It also orders the Federal Trade Commission to ensure “price transparency at all stages of the ticket-purchase process” and to “take enforcement action to prevent unfair, deceptive, and anti-competitive conduct in the secondary ticketing market,” which the Trump administration argues can restore sensibility and order to the ticket market.

“America’s live concert and entertainment industry has a total nationwide economic impact of $132.6 billion and supports 913,000 jobs,” the fact sheet said. “But it has become blighted by unscrupulous middle-men who impose egregious fees on fans with no benefit to artists.”

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/trump-ticket-scalpers-executive-action-live-events-f70082930c9efbeba454f5c2a13084fb

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Biden already did this (and the gouging/junk fees issue has been a long time bane of Sen. Elizabeth Warren). But I guess in the zeal to repeal all of Biden's E.O.s, that one (or multiple related ones) went to the circular file too.

[Bengus81]

1. Yep...Biden started the ball rolling two years ago and then it was passed I think

in late 2023? But yeah Trump...by all means act like this is something new. Pretty soon he'll be proposing the CHIPS act and to fix bridges.

[Marthe48]

2. What--the scalpers are moving in on felon's action?

He's figured out how to get their cut >sarcasm<

[angrychair]

3. Like it matters

I can't afford to go to anything anymore. I mean I just saw Alton Brown at a 1500 seat theater and still spent $130 for very high balcony seats. I like him but I would bet most people couldn't tell me who Alton Brown was to save their lives. Yet I paid $130 to go see him.

Ticket prices are insane anymore.
I remember being right up at the stage to see Beastie Boys, Pantera and Ozzy for $30.

I even noticed that some are letting you make payments. PAYMENTS. To go to a concert.
Eliminating some $5 service fee is not going to make it easier to buy tickets for $200 nose bleed seats.

[Bengus81]

4. Myself and others went to a load of concerts in 1972 and later the year after we graduated HS

had jobs some disposable income. Saw Chicago more than once,Three Dog Night,Bob Segar, Emerson Lake and Palmer,Todd Rundgren, Edgar Winter,Eagles etc,etc.

Tickets were $10 to $15 about $75-$100 today.

[reACTIONary]

9. Yep. I saw G. Harrison for around 7 bucks....

... bought the tickets at a local ice cream stand.

It was a great show, BTW.

[FakeNoose]

5. It's usually the resellers that create the bid-up wars

If I have prime tickets to a AC/DC or Billy Joel stadium show, I can resell them for whatever price I choose. But they're the only tickets I have, and I'm an individual. Is Chump going to come after me? Why aren't they stopping TicketMaster, who's been raping everybody for the last 40 years?

[BumRushDaShow]

6. "Why aren't they stopping TicketMaster, who's been raping everybody for the last 40 years?"

Biden went after them. From the OP article -

(snip)

Under Biden, the Justice Department also sued Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation Entertainment, last year. It accused them of running an illegal monopoly over live events and asked a court to break up the system that squelches competition and drives up prices for fans.

Those companies have a history of clashing with major artists, including Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift. whose summer 2022 stadium tour was plagued by difficulty getting tickets. Country music star Zach Bryan even released a 2022 album titled “All My Homies Hate Ticketmaster.” A representative for Bryan said he had “nothing to add” when asked to comment on Monday’s executive action.

(snip)

The below was last May. Don't know where it is in the courts -

Government sues Ticketmaster owner and asks court to break up company’s monopoly on live events

[no_hypocrisy]

7. Bullsh*t

The late Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (CD9-NJ), my congress critter, started the ball rolling. He was loud and articulate about this theft by scalpers.

https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2022/09/07/ticketmaster-bill-pascrell-jr-response/

[BumRushDaShow]

8. I miss him badly

He single-handedly kicked off what eventually became the disbarment of Ghouliani. Pascrell was a true firebrand!!

[reACTIONary]

10. So what is the irs going to do? Make them....

... pay their taxes? Well, that's good, but how does that stop them?

[The Mouth]

11. Broken clock, blind squirrel...

Putting some hurt on Live Nation and Spotify for screwing artists would be a very slick move.

[kkmarie]

12. This should really help

Reduce the cost of eggs and g r o c e r i e s.

[erodriguez]

13. Executive orders aren't laws.

[travelingthrulife]

14. Chronic scammer and money launderer says what?