Live Nation Reaches $9.9M Settlement in DC Ticket Pricing Case

Live Nation will pay $9.9 million to settle a lawsuit with the District of Columbia over deceptive ticket pricing practices. The settlement is separate from the antitrust case against Live Nation, of which DC was a part, in which a jury found the live event giant acted as an illegal monopoly.

The allegations:

• The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) led an investigation into allegations that for a decade Live Nation had charged “deceptive fees,” used “illegal pressure tactics” such as a countdown clock, and misled customers by failing to list the full ticket price, including fees, until they reached checkout.

The settlement:

• Of the $9.9 million settlement, up to $8.9 million will be refunded to Live Nation customers, with details on the claims process to be revealed in the coming months.

• Live Nation will show the full price of tickets – including mandatory fees – up front and throughout the purchase process, changes it already made to its platform in 2025.

• It will share additional information about the fees it charges and its ticket hold timer.

What they said:

• Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb: “For at least a decade, Live Nation and Ticketmaster boosted profits by charging predatory, hidden fees – taking advantage of DC residents buying tickets for their favorite artist or team and pricing others out entirely. With this settlement, we’re putting millions of dollars back into the pockets of DC fans and ensuring that the price fans see when they first start shopping for tickets is the price they actually pay.”