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NITO: Ticket resellers made $6.2 million from 20 concerts
May21
A new report from the National Independent Talent Organization (NITO) reveals that ticket resellers
A new report from the National Independent Talent Organization (NITO) reveals that ticket resellers made more than $6.2 million in profit from 20 concerts held in Maryland between 2021 and 2024.
The study, commissioned by the Maryland State Attorney General’s Office, underscores the growing financial impact of the secondary ticket market on concertgoers.
The analysis found that fans paid, on average, twice the face value for resold tickets compared to prices on the primary market.
The concerts examined included major events at CFG Bank Arena, M&T Bank Stadium, the Oceans Calling Festival in Ocean City, and multiple shows at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia.
Among the platforms tracked, StubHub accounted for more than 24% of all resale activity, making it the largest player in the secondary market for the events analyzed.
The findings challenge one of the resale industry’s key claims—that secondary platforms often offer cheaper prices than those available from primary sellers. In this case, NITO found that of the more than 35,000 tickets resold, only 627 were listed below the original lowest face value, undermining the argument that resellers frequently offer bargain pricing.
One particularly striking example cited in the report was a two-night concert at CFG Bank Arena, where 8,943 tickets were resold—roughly 37% of the venue’s capacity—netting nearly $2 million in estimated profit for resellers.
The Maryland study echoes the conclusions of NITO’s prior national research, suggesting a widespread and ongoing pattern of inflated ticket pricing in the resale market.
NITO, which represents U.S. independent music booking agencies and managers, has long advocated for greater regulation and transparency in ticket sales to protect both fans and artists.
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