The Federal Trade Commission said on April 9 that it had reached a settlement with StubHub Holdings, Inc., ending a case that accused the ticket seller of advertising live-event tickets without showing the full price up front. The agency said StubHub will pay $10 million and must stop presenting prices in a way that hides mandatory fees.
The FTC called the agreement its first major settlement under its Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees, which took effect on May 12, 2025, and applies to live-event tickets and short-term lodging. Under the rule, businesses must clearly and conspicuously show the total price wherever a price appears, not just at the end of checkout.
In the complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the FTC alleged that StubHub knew about the rule and publicly supported it, but delayed compliance because the schedule for a major sporting event was being released the same week the rule went into effect. The agency also said that conduct violated Section 5 of the FTC Act.
FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson said in a public statement that the commission is committed to carrying out President Donald Trump’s directive that the agency ensure price transparency at every stage of the ticket-buying process. The settlement leaves StubHub under an order that bars it from displaying prices without clearly disclosing the total amount, requires it to explain any extra fees and what they cover, and says the final payment amount must be shown before checkout.
The company also agreed to distribute the $10 million in monetary relief to eligible consumers without requiring claims, and to follow long-term compliance, recordkeeping and reporting obligations for up to 10 years. That makes the deal more than a refund: it is a warning that the FTC says it is prepared to pursue businesses that know the rule and ignore it anyway. For consumers, the practical result is simple enough — the price they see on StubHub should now be the price they can expect to pay.
