• Loading stock data...
Thursday, October 9, 2025
Law

Ticketmaster Causes Eras Tour–Like Disappointment in Tennis, One Week After DOJ Lawsuit

  • Tennis fans trying to buy presale tickets to the US Open posted their struggles on social media.
  • Just last week, the Justice Department launched a legal attack against the company and its parent, Live Nation.
Sep 10, 2023; Flushing, NY, USA; Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts towards his player's box during a changeover against Daniil Medvedev (not pictured) in the men's singles final on day fourteen of the 2023 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

On Tuesday, Ticketmaster fumbled tennis’s US Open presale in a way that mimics Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour ticket fiasco of fall 2022, which sparked public outcry over the platform’s hold on live events.

Presale for American Express card members started Tuesday at 9 a.m. ET. Shortly after, fans took to social media platforms including X and Tennis Forum to express their frustration. Some said they were asked for a code from American Express that they never got or wasn’t working, while others posted that large swaths of available tickets were somehow already marked as resale. Some fans got error messages prompting them to try again later or were stuck on a “confirming availability” screen. Many posted about long wait times.

“I have never seen a more broken website than Ticketmaster during the US Open AmEx presale,” posted Forbes senior editor Alex Konrad.

The X account for Ticketmaster Fan Support responded to just one US Open complaint, asking the user to send more information through a direct message.

Much like Swift’s tour, the US Open is creating demand that would be hard for any ticketing platform to handle. New York’s favorite end-of-summer tradition broke its own attendance records in 2019, ’22, and ’23. More than 150,000 people showed up to last year’s free fan week, breaking the record set in ’22, and an all-time high of 799,402 fans showed up for the main draw.

This year, total attendance could easily top 800,000 fans, especially because of swelling interest in the sport thanks to the blockbuster movie Challengers. (Inspired by the film, ”tenniscore” has already become a summer fashion trend.)

At the same time Ticketmaster is riling up tennis fans, it’s also in hot water with the federal government.

On Thursday, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation, claiming monopolization of the live entertainment industry. While mainly alleging wrongs in the live music industry, the DOJ also laid out the company’s dominance in sports. The suit says more than 70% of NBA and NHL arenas used Ticketmaster for their primary ticketer in 2022, and competitor Axs, which the filing says is less than one-fifth of the size of Ticketmaster, hasn’t converted any of the larger company’s arenas in the last decade.

“It is time to break up Live Nation-Ticketmaster,” U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement announcing the lawsuit.

Ticketmaster did not immediately respond to Front Office Sports’ request for comment.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Ballers in Philadelphia
exclusive

Backer of SlamBall, Ballers Armed With $150M for New Fund

The fund will offer sports and entertainment companies deals that don’t involve equity.

Ryder Cup: Secret Service Key to Smooth Trump Attendance

Trump’s attendance at the US Open delayed the men’s final.

US Open Set Attendance Record, Men’s Final Ratings Surged 82%

Attendance and television viewership of the tennis major again reach historic levels.
[Subscription Customers Only] Jul 9, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Real Madrid CF forward Kylian Mbappe (9) reacts after a semifinal match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup at MetLife Stadium.

CVC Builds Out Sports Division Amid Crowded PE Market

The firm’s sports portfolio is reportedly worth $13.6 billion.

Featured Today

Paul Cartier

Sports Organists Are Still Thriving in the Era of Raucous Arena Music

“When they walk out and they see a real organ guy, it’s like, ‘Wow.’”
Sep 27, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Jackson Chourio (11) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the sixth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field.
October 4, 2025

Milwaukee Moneyball: Brewers Are Beating MLB’s Deeper Pockets

Milwaukee is holding its own against big-budget competitors.
Kōloa Rum Company Rum Rusher
September 27, 2025

Panthers Bubbly, Jets Wine, Manning Whiskey: The Sports Booze Boom

A sommelier dives into the sports booze trend—and tries Jets wine.
Nov 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers fans wave Terrible Towels against the Baltimore Ravens during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium
September 26, 2025

Steelers’ Irish Roots Are Deeper Than NFL Dublin Game

The Steelers have history and the foundation for a future in Ireland.
Hymie Elhai

Jets Say Execs Tried to Sink Team President in Bumbling Conspiracy

The team says thousands of deleted text messages show the plot.
Dec 2, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans former quarterbacks Mark Sanchez (left) and Matt Leinart watch from the sidelines during the Pac-12 Championship game against the Utah Utes at Allegiant Stadium.
October 6, 2025

Mark Sanchez, Fox Sports Sued Over Alley Fight That Turned Bloody

The high-profile incident took place Saturday night in Indianapolis.
Brian Flores
October 7, 2025

Court Again Rejects NFL Request to Send Flores Case to Arbitration

The NFL has tried to keep the case out of open court.
Sponsored

How Jenny Just Is Shaping the Future of Sports Ownership

Jenny Just on bringing her investment experience to sports ownership.
Jon Gruden
October 3, 2025

Jon Gruden’s Case Against NFL Gets Closer to Open Court

The Nevada Supreme Court ruled unanimously against the NFL’s appeal. 
Apr 16, 2025; Washington, DC, USA; FIFA Chief Football Officer Jill Ellis speaks during a FIFA Club World Cup press conference at Audi Field.
October 1, 2025

San Diego Wave Owners Sue Jill Ellis for Abandoning Team After Sale

Ellis allegedly broke a pledge by leaving for FIFA after the sale.
Brian Flores
September 30, 2025

Brian Flores Asks Court to Halt NFL Arbitration

The war between Flores’s lawyers and an NFL arbitrator has heated up.
Oct 27, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans co-founder and former owner Janice McNair (left) sits with Texans chief executive officer Cal McNair and wife Hannah McNair in front of family members of Texans former player Andre Johnson (not pictured) during a ceremony at halftime of the game against the Indianapolis Colts at NRG Stadium.
September 29, 2025

NFL Sued for $100M Over Efforts to ‘Silence’ Brother of Texans Owner

Robert Cary McNair Jr. says the NFL helped remove him from roles.