The standard tickets sold on Ticketmaster are owned by our clients (venues, sports teams or other event promoters) who determine the number of tickets to be sold and set the face value price. In the case of resale tickets, listing prices are determined by the seller, which can include fans or season ticket holders.
Note that for certain events, Ticketmaster may not be the primary ticket provider.
In some instances, events on our platform may have tickets that are “market-priced,” so ticket and fee prices may adjust over time based on demand. This is similar to how airline tickets and hotel rooms are sold and is commonly referred to as “Dynamic Pricing.”
Ticket fees (which can include a service fee, order processing fee and sometimes a delivery fee) are determined in collaboration with our clients. In exchange for the rights to sell their tickets, our clients typically share in a portion of the fees we collect. The portion of fees we keep helps us to provide our clients with software, equipment, services and support to manage their tickets and box office, and provide the sales network used by clients to distribute tickets to fans. The remainder, when taken with other revenues, is how we earn a profit.
The total cost of a ticket can be made up of:
Face Value Price
The face value price (also known as the established price or base ticket price) is determined by our clients. In many circumstances, face value prices are set at the time of the initial on-sale and stay the same until the event but prices can, and are often are, adjusted up or down over time. In either case, Ticketmaster collects the face value price and remits it to our clients.
Service Fee and Order Processing Fee
In almost all cases, Ticketmaster adds a service fee (also known as a convenience charge) to the face value price, or in the case of a resale ticket to the listing price, of each ticket. The service fee varies by event based on our agreement with each individual client.
In addition to the per ticket service fee, an order processing fee is typically charged. Unlike the service charge, which is added to each ticket, the processing fee is charged once for each order. The processing fee offsets the costs of ticket handling, shipping and support and as a result, the processing fee is generally not charged on in-person box office purchases. In some cases, Ticketmaster's order processing costs may be lower than the order processing fee. In those cases, Ticketmaster may earn a profit on the order processing fee.
In both cases, these fees are collected by Ticketmaster and typically shared with our clients.
Delivery Fees
Delivery options are determined by our clients and can vary from event to event. We offer a variety of ticket delivery options that vary in price, dependent upon the delivery method chosen. Delivery options may include Mobile Tickets, Will Call pickup, Print-at-Home, US Mail or UPS. The UPS delivery fee may not reflect the actual cost UPS charges Ticketmaster to deliver tickets via UPS. In some cases, delivery fees may include a profit to Ticketmaster.
Facility Charge
Each client decides whether to include a facility charge on ticket purchases. These additional fees typically help clients operate and invest back in the venues themselves. Facility charges may vary from event to event and can be raised or lowered over time. Ticketmaster does not share in facility charges, we simply collect them for venues.
Taxes
City, state, and local taxes (provincial and Federal Goods and Services taxes in Canada) are typically included in the face value of the ticket or in the fees. In some jurisdictions, however, taxes may be listed as a separate charge.
