“It’s one more strike against junk fees,” the Massachusetts Democrat said on her way to the Senate on Thursday morning. Elizabeth Warren, a vocal critic of Ticketmaster, also considers Live Nation’s and SeatGeek’s commitments a win for consumers. “Junk fees are not a matter for the wealthy very much, but they are a matter for working folks like the homes I grew up in, and they can add hundreds of dollars a month and make it harder for families to pay their bills,” Biden said at the roundtable Thursday. Airbnb, for example, introduced a “total price” tool to see fees before taxes. The White House is touting SeatGeek’s commitment to roll out features in the coming months that will allow ticket buyers to sort options by “all-in price.” The administration notes that since the president first asked for a crackdown on junk fees last year, a handful of other companies have made similar commitments. In a fact sheet distributed to reporters, White House officials wrote that the commitments the companies made will “improve the purchasing experience for tens of millions of customers annually.” Still, the White House considers Thursday’s development a major win. “I don’t think it relaxes the pressure on the DOJ to reengage on the antitrust issues. “I think there’s gonna be continued pressure on the Department of Justice to revisit decisions they made in any earlier time when they approved the earlier merger in 2009, 2010,” he said. Kovacic suspected that the company’s commitment to showing fees will not fully satisfy critics. They also express concerns with its control of the market, and its partnership with Live Nation in particular. Those critical of Ticketmaster don’t just point to its surprise fees. It sort of drove home the fact that there’s a lot of consumer frustration about the purchasing process in certain markets.” “There’s an enormous amount of pressure that stems from. “It’s all about Taylor Swift,” said a former FTC official granted anonymity to speak candidly. That was three months after the Taylor Swift ticket debacle. The company first inquired about making the announcement in Washington after Biden’s State of the Union in February, where he spoke about cracking down on junk fees. The White House shared that Live Nation will roll out its upfront pricing model in September. “But once you make these kinds of claims publicly, you’re stuck with them.” “They’ve put themselves in the noose, and they’re hoping no one tightens it,” Vladeck said. By announcing the policy change from Washington, it has a chance to quiet public discontent - but risks further backlash if it continues to charge junk fees.
If the company doesn’t abide by this promise, he added, it can expect to be attacked by the FTC and state agencies.Īnd Live Nation didn’t make its statement quietly. Now that it has publicly committed to cutting junk fees, Live Nation will have a tough time changing its position, Vladeck noted. It’s not only the fees it’s the exorbitant prices that can be charged - with the complicity of Ticketmaster - to fans who want to go and see these concerts.” “I want to be sure that they actually do show fees up front. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), who is sponsoring the Senate companion to Gallego’s bill, told The Times on Thursday. That’s why we’re pushing Congress to pass my Junk Fee Prevention Act so all companies provide consumers upfront pricing.”Īlthough Live Nation’s announcement is good news for consumer advocates, lawmakers need to ensure that the company keeps its promises, Sen. “Lowering costs for working families is one of my top priorities. “Today’s announcement that major companies are stepping up to increase price transparency is a big win for consumers,” Gallego wrote in a statement. Senate, is sponsoring the Junk Fee Prevention Act, which would make the upfront pricing model law. Ruben Gallego, an Arizona Democrat who’s running for U.S. “We have thousands of crew working behind the scenes every day to help artists share their music live with fans, and we’ll continue advocating for innovations and reforms that protect that amazing connection.”Ĭongress has taken steps to regulate Ticketmaster and junk fees. “Live Nation is proud to provide fans with a better ticket buying experience,” Tom See, president of Live Nation Venues, said in a statement. In a news release, Live Nation pointed to February 2020 testimony Ticketmaster gave to the FTC in support of an all-in pricing mandate. for Ticketmaster hearing: ‘We put everything on pause’Ībout a dozen Taylor Swift fans who are suing Ticketmaster spoke at a hearing at an L.A.
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