Mexico’s consumer protection agency plans to impose a fine of more than 5 million Mexican pesos ($288,000) on Ticketmaster in response to complaints about ticket sales for upcoming BTS concerts in Mexico City.
The Federal Consumer Protection agency, known as Profeco (Procuraduría Federal del Consumidor), notified Ticketmaster of the penalty last week (January 28) after consumers reported issues during presale and general sale periods for BTS’s May concert dates.
HYBE-signed BTS announced their upcoming BTS World Tour in January. The 70-plus show tour kicks off on April 9 in Goyang, South Korea, and features multi-night stadium stops in cities including Mexico City, where the group will perform on May 7, May 9 and May 10 at the GNP Seguros Stadium.
Live Nation-owned Ticketmaster has until February 12 to respond to Profeco’s notice.
Iván Escalante Ruiz, head of Profeco, announced the fine during a press conference led by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo on Monday (February 2), according to a press release from Profeco.
Profeco initiated proceedings against Ticketmaster for violations of consumer protection law in Mexico.
Beyond Ticketmaster, Profeco has also issued “electronic appeals” to resale platforms Viagogo, StubHub and Helloticket, based in the US, Switzerland, and Spain respectively, to comply with Mexican regulations and avoid unfair practices against consumers, Profeco said.
Profeco warned that if the resale platforms fail to respond, the agency will pursue legal and administrative measures, including violation proceedings and potential operational restrictions in Mexico.
The move signals another clampdown on secondary ticket markets that have drawn criticism for inflated pricing. It also marks another setback for Ticketmaster and Live Nation, which have faced regulatory scrutiny across markets over ticket sales.
In the UK, following the controversial sale of tickets for Oasis’ reunion tour, Ticketmaster made commitments to the country’s competition watchdog to make ticket sales more transparent.
Last month, a class action lawsuit filed against Ticketmaster in Quebec over its fee practices made progress after a judge ruled that the case can proceed to trial.
In the US, defunct ticketing company Fanimal, based in Santa Monica, California, sued Ticketmaster and Live Nation over their alleged anticompetitive tactics that drove it out of business.
Separately in January, Ticketmaster and Live Nation asked a federal judge to throw out the US Federal Trade Commission’s lawsuit over ticket resales. The FTC sued the pair in September, arguing that they violated the BOTS Act by knowingly allowing ticket scalpers to buy up large blocks of tickets during on-sales.
The US Department of Justice also sued the companies in 2024, seeking to break them apart after merging in 2010. A federal judge denied Live Nation’s motion to dismiss two major parts of that lawsuit in March 2025. The company then filed a motion asking for a quick end to that case in November.
In December, a class action by consumers received certification, and another group of plaintiffs that includes Taylor Swift fans survived a dismissal motion in November related to the Eras Tour presale.
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