Ticketmaster Advocates for UK Ticket Resale Price Cap as Industry Debates Impact
Ticketmaster and its parent company Live Nation have been actively lobbying in support of the UK government's proposed legislation to cap ticket resale prices, according to exclusive information obtained by City AM. This development comes as ministers prepare to introduce measures aimed at curbing excessive ticket touting practices across the country.
Government Proposals and Industry Positioning
The Department for Business and Trade is currently considering implementing restrictions that would limit ticket resale prices to between zero and thirty percent above their original face value. This follows an extensive consultation period initiated after significant public backlash against inflated secondary market prices for major concert tours and live events.
Live Nation publicly endorsed this policy direction in November, stating they "fully support" a ban on resale above face value. Ticketmaster already enforces a cap on its own UK platform, restricting resale to the original purchase price. Industry insiders reveal that the company has been engaging directly with policymakers throughout the consultation process, with sources suggesting such reforms could potentially strengthen the primary ticketing market where Ticketmaster maintains dominant market position.
Market Dynamics and Competing Perspectives
The Association of Independent Festivals has claimed that Live Nation controls approximately two-thirds of the UK's major concert market, though Ticketmaster disputes these figures, arguing that AIF data significantly overstates their actual market share. According to market estimates referenced in the government consultation, resale transactions account for roughly six percent of all UK ticket sales, with the overwhelming majority still occurring through primary market channels.
Rival resale platform viagogo has expressed concerns that targeting the secondary market without implementing parallel reforms to primary sales could effectively cement existing market structures. Frankie Mulqueen, a spokesperson for the company, told City AM that the current proposal "ignores the biggest issues fans face: dynamic pricing, bot abuse and broken queues."
Economic Implications and Fraud Concerns
The government's analytical assessment published in December estimates that implementing a resale price cap could reduce overall annual ticket spending by approximately £112 million while lowering average resale prices by £37. However, the same analysis acknowledges potential displacement effects, with customers potentially migrating to alternative channels such as social media platforms for ticket transactions.
Officials have noted that compliance "may be impossible or unviable for larger platforms to guarantee," with enforcement mechanisms still under development. UK Finance, representing major financial institutions including Lloyds, NatWest, HSBC and Barclays, has warned that stricter caps could drive transactions toward unregulated platforms, potentially increasing fraud risks and shifting financial losses onto banking institutions.
International Context and Broader Scrutiny
Separate research conducted by StubHub International indicates that ticket fraud rates tend to be higher in markets with established price caps, including Ireland and Victoria, Australia. The UK live events sector represents a substantial economic contributor, generating an estimated £61.6 billion in direct value during 2023 while supporting approximately 775,000 jobs across the country.
This debate over ticket resale regulations occurs alongside broader scrutiny of Live Nation and Ticketmaster's business practices. In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit last year alleging deceptive pricing practices and unlawful coordination with ticket brokers. The company has consistently denied any wrongdoing and maintains it will vigorously defend itself in court proceedings.
Ticketmaster continues to reject suggestions that it benefits from a weakened secondary market and emphasizes that it does not fund anti-resale campaign groups. The platform maintains that capping resale prices protects consumers from inflated costs while ensuring sellers cannot profit excessively above face value.
