Ticketmaster Grapples with Outages and Legal Scrutiny Ahead of 2026 Tours
New York, January 13, 2026 – Ticketmaster, the leading ticketing platform, faced widespread outages in late 2025, affecting users globally, while navigating major legal challenges from the Federal Trade Commission and consumer lawsuits. Amid these issues, the company promotes upcoming high-profile tours for artists like Bruno Mars and Rosalía in 2026.
Recent Outages Disrupt Global Users
In late 2025, Ticketmaster experienced multiple service disruptions, impacting users in regions including the Philippines, United States, United Kingdom, and Indonesia. These incidents, reported by outage tracking services, lasted from minutes to several hours, with one notable outage in the United States enduring nearly 8 hours. Affected areas included major cities like Green Bay, Wisconsin, and international hubs such as London and Manila. The outages coincided with peak ticket demand, frustrating fans attempting to purchase for events. Ticketmaster has not publicly attributed the causes but emphasized ongoing improvements to platform reliability.
Legal Battles Intensify Over Resale Practices
Ticketmaster is embroiled in significant legal disputes. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission, along with seven states, sued the company in September 2025, alleging collusion with ticket resellers to inflate prices, violating the Better Online Ticket Sales Act. Ticketmaster, owned by Live Nation, filed a motion to dismiss the case in January 2026, arguing the law targets resellers, not platforms. Separately, class-action lawsuits in Quebec and the United States accuse Ticketmaster of illegal tracking, surveillance, and excessive service fees, citing violations of consumer protection laws. These cases highlight growing scrutiny of ticketing practices, with potential implications for resale markets.
Key Facts / Stats
| Incident Type | Details |
|---|---|
| Outage in Philippines | Started 3:16 PM, lasted 2 hours 15 minutes, affected Bagumbayan. |
| Outage in United States | Started 1:32 PM, lasted 20 minutes, impacted Green Bay. |
| Extended Outage in United States | Started 3:47 PM, lasted 4 hours 35 minutes, affected multiple cities. |
| FTC Lawsuit Allegations | Collusion with resellers, $3.7 billion in resale fees from 2019-2024. |
| Upcoming Tour: Bruno Mars | The Romantic Tour in summer 2026, with dates in the UK and France. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused the recent Ticketmaster outages?
The exact causes of the 2025 outages were not disclosed by Ticketmaster, but they affected login, search, and checkout functions globally. Users are advised to check Ticketmaster’s status page for updates.
How does the FTC lawsuit impact ticket prices?
The lawsuit claims Ticketmaster enabled resellers to bypass limits, leading to inflated prices. If upheld, it could force changes to resale platforms, potentially lowering costs for fans.
Are there upcoming events affected by these issues?
No direct impacts on 2026 tours like Bruno Mars’ The Romantic Tour or Rosalía’s spring shows, but past outages highlight the need for reliable access during ticket sales.