SeatGeek and StubHub Follow Ticketmaster’s Lead with Upfront Ticket Pricing

With Ticketmaster offering all-in pricing on its website and mobile apps, both secondary ticketing marketplaces SeatGeek and StubHub have done the same.

The move among ticketing platforms was driven by new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations and mounting consumer frustration at ticket prices. Research has revealed that up to 50% of abandoned purchases from consumers are the result of hidden fees only disclosed at checkout. Ticketmaster’s adoption of all-in pricing happened earlier this week—now all fees except local taxes are included in the advertised price.

The change addresses years of criticism surrounding ‘junk fees’ and hidden charges that often blindside concert ticket purchasers. With Ticketmaster setting the precedent, both SeatGeek and StubHub have updated their platforms to conform with the new FTC rules. SeatGeek was previously criticized for revealing its 10-48% buyer fees only at checkout. Now it includes the total ticket cost including mandatory fees (minus taxes) at the start of the buying process—and was the first secondary ticketing market to do so.

StubHub dragged its feet on compliance, with the StubHub website being the first to confirm to all-in ticket pricing, while the mobile app did not. Digital Music News reached out to StubHub to ask why and was informed that the all-in pricing app roll-out is now included on mobile, too. Checking the prices of Beyonce concert tickets on the StubHub platform revealed fees are included and a new pop-up notification announcing such.

This harmonization in upfront ticket pricing across the industry for live events is a direct response to both regulatory pressure and consumer dissatisfaction with the ticket buying process. Gone are the days where ticket markets tack on an additional $75 on top of a $150 ticket price—nearly doubling the cost for consumers. While this is a good start for upfront pricing, it’s worth noting that tacked on fees and their breakdown remains opaque for buyers.

All three ticketing entities do not provide a breakdown of the ‘fee price’ shown at check-out. Ticketmaster mentions that fees may include service fees, processing fees, facility charges, and any venue-specific fees—but it does not break down these fees in the final checkout presentation. Instead, all fees are lumped into the fee category. States like New York have introduced bills that would cap additional service charges at 15% of the ticket value, further refining tacked on fees by ticketing platforms.