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Ticketmaster Ends TradeDesk And Limits Accounts Amid FTC Lawsuit
October21
Ticketmaster will shut down its TradeDesk resale platform and restrict all users to a single account as part of new measures announced amid an ongoing U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) lawsuit accusing the company of violating the BOTS Act.
In a letter to Senators Marsha Blackburn and Ben Ray Luján, Live Nation Executive Vice President Dan Wall (pictured) rejected the FTC’s allegations of “illegal ticket resale” tactics, calling the agency’s interpretation of the BOTS Act “a distorted view of the facts and the law.” He said the lawsuit wrongly expands the Act’s scope beyond its intent to curb technological circumvention by scalpers.
While denying wrongdoing, Wall confirmed Ticketmaster will discontinue TradeDesk, its inventory management system used by resellers. “The reputational harm from having to defend TradeDesk exceeds its value,” he said, noting similar tools exist elsewhere.
Ticketmaster will also limit users — including brokers — to one account linked to a unique taxpayer ID, supported by new AI tools to detect and cancel duplicates. Wall said the company blocked six billion fake accounts this year and continues to strengthen its anti-bot systems.
In response, the National Independent Venue Association criticised the changes as “too little, too late,” calling them a public relations move following the FTC’s case and urging Ticketmaster to cap resale ticket prices at face value.
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