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Ticketmaster to Verify Single Accounts, Shut TradeDesk as FTC Case Intensifies

The move follows an FTC suit alleging the company enabled brokers to evade limits to profit from resales.

Overview

  • Live Nation executive Daniel M. Wall told Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Ben Ray Luján that Ticketmaster will enforce a one-account rule for fans and brokers.
  • Resale accounts will require taxpayer ID verification, including Social Security numbers for brokers, to tie each account to a single identity.
  • Ticketmaster says it will deploy AI screening, identify and remove duplicate accounts, and run post-sale sweeps to cancel suspected bot purchases.
  • The company will remove TradeDesk’s concert ticket management functionality after criticism, while disputing that the tool aided unlawful ticket harvesting.
  • Live Nation denies collusion with scalpers, noting resales are about 3% of its revenue and citing over $1 billion invested in bot prevention, as the FTC and seven states press claims that fees totaled $16.4 billion since 2019, including $3.7 billion from resales.