The National Independent Talent Association (NITO) has called on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to strengthen its recently announced concert ticket pricing rule, stating it "does nothing to address or reduce actual junk fees."

The FTC's rule, approved in December by a 4-1 vote, requires businesses to display all-in pricing for concert tickets upfront, showing the total cost including fees before checkout. While NITO acknowledges this as "a positive step forward," they argue it merely conceals rather than addresses the underlying fee issue.

Key Points About the Rule:

• Goes into effect in mid-April
• Applies to hotels, vacation rentals, and live entertainment
• Doesn't prohibit any specific fees
• Only requires upfront disclosure of total costs
• Already implemented by some businesses, including Ticketmaster

NITO's main criticism is that the rule fails to address fee amounts themselves, stating in their letter to the FTC that "transparency that shows the price gap between the amount that an artist wants to charge and the amount the fan pays has been lost with this ruling."

The rule's future remains uncertain, as Commissioner Andrew Ferguson, President-elect Trump's choice for FTC chair, voted against it. Meanwhile, other regions are taking different approaches - the UK government recently proposed implementing price caps on resale tickets.

NITO plans to continue working with industry stakeholders to address consumer costs and ensure fair ticket pricing for concertgoers.

Related Articles

Previous Articles