Competition cops sue Ticketmaster for “deceptive” prices

Canada’s competition regulator said Thursday it is suing Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation, for allegedly misleading consumers on the prices for sports and other entertainment tickets. The Competition Bureau said an investigation found that Ticketmaster’s advertised prices are deceptive because consumers wind up paying additional fees that are added later in the purchasing process. The bureau called the practice “drip pricing” and said it results in consumers paying higher prices than advertised. The regulator claimed that Ticketmaster’s mandatory fees often inflate the price by more than 20 per cent, and, in some instances, by over 65 per cent.