K-STREET, 10,000 FEET: FTC’s all-in pricing rule praised

THE LOWDOWN:

• The latest rule from President Donald Trump’s Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on all-in pricing went into effect this week, with great fanfare from both the ticketing industry and from consumers.

• Under FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson, the FTC will ensure that all-in pricing is standard for both live events and for short-term lodging, meaning that consumers won’t suffer sticker shock on the purchase page for concerts or AirBnBs.

• The FTC rule directly follows Trump’s March executive order to “end price-gouging by middlemen in the entertainment industry.” While Ferguson had previously opposed a version of this rule on procedural grounds when he was an FTC commissioner, he followed through on his promise, articulated at an event hosted by the Reporter, to push for continuity between FTC chairs.

• That order was backed by organizations like Live Nation at the time, which praised the administration for taking “scalpers and bots [that] prevent fans from getting tickets at the prices artists set…head on.”

The latest rule from President Donald Trump’s Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on all-in pricing went into effect this week, with great fanfare from both the ticketing industry and from consumers.

Under FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson, the FTC will ensure that all-in pricing is standard for both live events and for short-term lodging, meaning that consumers won’t suffer sticker shock on the purchase page for concerts or AirBnBs. Hidden fees have long caused consumers to fume at companies like Live Nation Entertainment — which said that it is firmly behind Ferguson in pushing for this policy.

“Live Nation made all-in pricing the standard across its venues and festivals in 2023,” the company said. “Starting May 12, it’s now the rule for all ticketing companies and a meaningful step in the broader reforms needed to protect fans.”

“Strong enforcement will be critical, along with continued efforts to bring about reforms like banning speculative ticket sales and giving artists control over resale prices,” the company continued.

The FTC rule directly follows Trump’s March executive order to “end price-gouging by middlemen in the entertainment industry.” While Ferguson had previously opposed a version of this rule on procedural grounds when he was an FTC commissioner, he followed through on his promise, articulated at an event hosted by the Reporter, to push for continuity between FTC chairs.

Following this rule, companies directly affected by it want the Trump administration to “rigorously enforce the Better Online Ticket Sales (BOTS) Act and promote its enforcement by state consumer protection authorities,” as the White House laid out in its executive order.

That order was backed by organizations like Live Nation at the time, which praised the administration for taking “scalpers and bots [that] prevent fans from getting tickets at the prices artists set…head on.”

A senior Senate leadership aide told the Reporter that “we constantly hear from constituents who are mad about these rip-off fees and during the Biden administration, nothing was done. Now the Trump FTC is fixing this problem and it’s a huge win. Good for Chairman Ferguson and his team to deliver on a tangible promise that makes our constituents’ lives better.”