The National Independent Talent Association (NITO) has called on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to expand its recently announced concert ticket "Junk Fees Rule," arguing that the current measure falls short of addressing fundamental pricing issues.

The FTC's rule, approved in December with a 4-1 vote, requires businesses to display all-in pricing for concert tickets upfront, showing the total cost including fees before checkout. While this transparency measure has gained support from industry players like Live Nation and Ticketmaster, NITO argues it doesn't tackle the core problem of excessive fees.

In their letter to the FTC, NITO states: "The FTC's junk fee ruling does nothing to address or reduce actual junk fees that are now buried inside each concert ticket." The organization emphasizes that the current rule obscures the gap between artist-set prices and final consumer costs.

Key points about the rule:

• Takes effect in mid-April
• Applies to hotels, vacation rentals, and live entertainment
• Doesn't prohibit any specific fees
• Requires upfront total price disclosure
• Has already shown promising results in early implementations

The rule's future remains uncertain under the incoming administration, with FTC Commissioner Andrew Ferguson (President-elect Trump's chosen chair) voting against it. Meanwhile, other countries are taking more aggressive approaches, such as the UK's recent proposal to cap resale ticket prices.

NITO plans to continue working with industry stakeholders to reduce consumer costs and ensure fair ticket pricing for concert-goers.

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