President Donald Trump has taken a bold step to tackle a major frustration in live entertainment: ticket price gouging.
On Monday, President Trump signed a new executive order aimed at promoting fairness and transparency in the ticketing industry. This move is likely to strike a chord with fans of artists like Taylor Swift, who have long struggled with soaring prices and ticket buying bots.
The executive order instructs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to collaborate with Attorney General Pam Bondi. Together, they will enforce competition laws within the live events sector.
The primary objective is to ensure consumers can see ticket prices clearly from start to finish during the purchasing process. It also aims to curb predatory practices that allow resellers and bots to inflate prices beyond what most can afford.
At the signing ceremony, Trump was joined by musician Kid Rock, who praised the initiative. “I want the fans to have fair ticket prices, to be able to go enjoy more shows,” Kid Rock said.
“I would like to lower my ticket prices, but if I set them low, these bots snap them up instantly and resell them for hundreds more, making these bad actors rich.” Trump chimed in, saying, “It bothers a lot of artists. They go out with a $100 ticket, and it sells for $2,000 the next night.”
Taylor Swift Fans Face Past Struggles
For Taylor Swift fans, this news might feel like a long awaited victory. In November 2022, Swifties encountered a notorious ticket buying fiasco during the launch of The Eras Tour ticket sales.
Ticketmaster’s systems buckled under overwhelming demand. Many fans were shut out of the general sale, unable to buy tickets at their original price.
‼️| Ticketmaster apologizes to @TaylorSwift13 and her fans
"especially those who had a terrible experience trying to purchase tickets" pic.twitter.com/t6ImFsouZ4
— The Swift Society (@TheSwiftSociety) November 19, 2022
The chaos prompted Ticketmaster to issue a public apology. “We want to apologize to Taylor and all of her fans, especially those who had a terrible experience trying to purchase tickets,” the company posted on X.
“Due to extraordinarily high demands on ticketing systems and insufficient remaining ticket inventory, tomorrow’s public on sale for Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour has been cancelled.”
Taylor Swift herself spoke out about the ordeal, calling it “excruciating” to watch. In a statement on Instagram Stories, she shared her deep protectiveness over her fans.
“I have done this SPECIFICALLY to improve the quality of my fans’ experience by doing it myself with my team,” she wrote. “It is really difficult for me to trust an outside entity with these relationships and excruciating for me to watch mistakes happen with no recourse.”
The aftermath saw fans take legal action against Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation. They filed a lawsuit alleging antitrust violations and unlawful business practices tied to The Eras Tour ticket sales.
Many view Trump’s executive order as a direct response to the widespread frustration and legal battles that followed. For millions of music fans, particularly Swifties, this might mark the start of fairer access to live entertainment.
