Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced that Illinois has joined an $82.5 million proposed antitrust settlement with Varsity Brands (Varsity). As a result, Illinois consumers who paid to participate in Varsity Brands’...more
On July 29, the attorney general (AG) for Washington, D.C. sued StubHub, Inc. (StubHub) for violations of the district’s Consumer Protection Procedures Act. The complaint accuses StubHub of employing “dark patterns,”...more
On June 30, 2024, the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia filed an action against an online ticket exchange and resale website alleging violations of the District of Columbia’s Consumer...more
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has granted a limited appeal in Pittsburgh’s challenge to a Pennsylvania court ruling that the city’s tax on visiting athletes and performers is unconstitutional. ...more
Drip pricing, the practice of revealing hidden fees after a consumer has begun the purchasing process, has come under scrutiny. The Federal Trade Commission has labeled it a dark pattern, and California has taken steps to...more
The Pitch newsletter is a monthly update of legal issues and news affecting or related to the music, film and television, fine arts, media, professional athletics, eSports, and gaming industries. The Pitch features a diverse...more
The National Football League must pay more than $4.7 billion in class-action damages for overcharging subscribers of its “Sunday Ticket” telecasts, a California federal jury said on Thursday....more
Despite certifying the class action in Thompson-Marcial v Ticketmaster Canada LP on the basis of breach of contract, breach of legislation, conspiracy, negligence and unjust enrichment, the Ontario Superior Court declined to...more
In summer 2023, fans of Taylor Swift made international headlines when they took to social media to express their outrage at the ticket-buying experience for “The Eras Tour.” Fans of many artists have expressed their strong...more
A Los Angeles jury has found following a monthlong trial that StubHub owes more than $16 million for breaching its contract with Spotlight Ticket Management, which does business as TicketManager, and interfering in the...more
In a move to protect music artists and their fans (among a host of additional event presenters), both Maryland (MD) and Minnesota recently passed groundbreaking legislation aimed at bringing transparency and fairness to the...more
For more than a decade, companies have benefited immensely from the United States Supreme Court decision of AT&T Mobility LLC v. Concepcion, 563 U.S. 333 (2011), which upheld a company’s right to compel consumers into...more
Beginning in late 2023, plaintiffs have filed dozens of putative class action lawsuits against companies that sell tickets to entertainment venues and events in New York. These suits arise from allegations that companies are...more
In New York, there has been an uptick in class action lawsuits seeking to contest “hidden” ticket fees following online purchases. The New York Arts & Cultural Affairs Law was amended in August 2022, which has prompted dozens...more
In a recent case brought in front of the Civil Resolution Tribunal (“CRT”) of British Columbia, Moffatt v. Air Canada, 2024 BCCRT 149, the CRT found in favor of an airline customer who relied on information about an airline’s...more
Plaintiffs’ counsel have launched a wave of lawsuits against New York venues and ticket platforms, invoking a recently-enacted provision of New York’s Arts and Cultural Affairs Law. According to these lawsuits, these...more
It’s a well-known principle (amongst those who practice in certain professions) that if you’re trying to make something sexy, you generally don’t want to reveal everything all at once. Instead, it can be better to reveal...more
On October 11, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) announced a proposed rule to prohibit so-called “junk fees” in connection with the sale of consumer goods and services. According to the FTC, the proposal, known as...more
On October 11, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) published its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for a new “Rule on Unfair and Deceptive Fees” — popularly referred to as the “junk fee” rule. The new rule, which will be...more
The New York Times had a short but smart interview with former Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust Makan Delrahim about how the repeal of the 1940s-era Paramount antitrust decrees helped Taylor Swift and Beyoncé strike...more
Join us via live stream for an informative evening with Lew Wolff, the former owner and current Chairman Emeritus of the Oakland Athletics and former owner of the San Jose Earthquakes. Lew will provide an unvarnished,...more
In Oberstein v. Live Nation Ent. Inc. No. 21-56200 (9th Cir. Feb. 13, 2023), the Ninth Circuit addressed the question of whether the arbitration and class action waiver clauses on Ticketmaster’s and Live Nation’s websites...more
In June, New York enacted a ticket transparency law seeking to make sweeping changes to how ticket prices are communicated to consumers and eliminate deceptive ticket pricing practices. The law will go into effect on...more
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bill last month that will demand greater transparency from establishments that sell tickets for live events. The new law is set to take effect on August 29, 2022, and will ban hidden fees...more