Is Ticketmaster Overpricing Tickets?

Filip Zakrzewski, Northside College Prep, Senior, Fall 2025

Over the past decade, fans have watched the price of entertainment skyrocket. Whether it’s a concert, a playoff game, or even a regular-season matchup, attending live events has shifted from a casual outing to a major financial decision. 

A major factor behind this shift is the rapid growth in the number of people attending live events. Conducted by CouponCabin, “A survey of more than 1,000 music fans in December found that nearly 36% said they will spend $100 to $499 on concert tickets in 2025, while more than 17% plan to spend up to $1,000” (Dickler, 2025). This willingness to pay more has prompted artists, leagues, and ticketing platforms to transition from the traditional “first-come, first-served” system to dynamic pricing, where ticket costs increase automatically as demand rises. The conventional model often lets bots and scalpers buy large quantities instantly and resell them at huge markups, driving prices even higher on third-party sites. Dynamic pricing emerged as a response to this problem, aiming to keep prices closer to true demand and prevent resellers from capturing all the profit. As Ticketmaster analyst Julia Sidopoulos explains, “dynamic pricing reflects demand accurately, but accuracy doesn’t equal accessibility.” Though seemingly more appealing at the surface, this “true demand” is often a price that is hard to bear.

Another major factor driving ticket prices higher is the growth of service fees, which now make up a significant portion of what fans pay. “A 2018 study from the US Government Accountability Office found that ticketing companies were charging fees of 27 to 31% on average” (Feldman, 2024). Arthur Zakrzewski, an avid concertgoer, feels the impact. “The fees feel like a slap in the face. You’re already paying a ton, and then they add another 20-30% just because they can.” Since most major ticketing websites hold near-monopolies over specific venues and tours, they face little pressure to reduce fees, leaving buyers with no real alternative but to pay them.

Overall, the combination of soaring demand, dynamic pricing, and high fees has made live entertainment more expensive than ever. Until the industry addresses these systemic issues, fans should expect prices to continue climbing.