Ticketmaster’s still hiding ticket fees, senator says

Live Nation, the parent company of Ticketmaster, promised to scrap the hidden fees plaguing its ticketing service earlier this year. But one senator says the company’s not doing nearly enough. 

In a letter to Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino Wednesday, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) called on the company to turn on an “all-in” pricing filter that it added this year by default. Klobuchar said it’s “still too difficult” for users to turn on the filter that’s “buried within a tab that gives no indication that it contains” the option in the first place. 

“Millions of Americans rely on your company for the chance to see their favorite artist, band, or sports team,” Klobuchar wrote. “In return for their business and trust, your customers expect a transparent and honest ticket buying process free from hidden fees.”

Back in June, Live Nation, along with AirBnB, SeatGeek, and DICE, pledged to disclose the full price of their tickets and services as part of an agreement with the White House to reduce “junk fees.” At the time, Live Nation said that these new rules would start applying to events in September. 

Responding to Klobuchar’s letter, Live Nation argues that it’s fulfilled its pricing promise. And it says that the agreement only applied to events held at venues Live Nation operates and did not extend to venues the company doesn’t control.

“If we had the power to do that it would have been part of our commitment to the White House and our June 15 announcement,” a Live Nation spokesperson told NBC News Wednesday. “This just underscores the importance of all-in pricing legislation.”

Legislation might be on the way. Earlier this year, Klobuchar introduced the Unlock Ticketing Markets Act, a bill that would empower the Federal Trade Commission with the authority to challenge contracts ticketing platforms enter into with venues. 

“In your own press release, Live Nation-Ticketmaster touted that it will ‘lead the industry with new all-in pricing,’” Klobuchar wrote. “Yet, it is still too difficult for consumers to find the all-in price of a ticket before checkout.”