Ticketmaster is the largest ticket sales and distribution company in the United States. It sells tickets for concerts, sporting events, theater shows, and more. Ticketmaster provides a platform for event organizers to sell tickets directly to fans. It also allows everyday people to resell tickets they can no longer use.
If you want to sell tickets on Ticketmaster there are a few different fees you need to be aware of. In this article, we’ll break down the different fees Ticketmaster charges sellers. We’ll also look at how much profit you can expect to make after fees are taken out.
Fees for Selling New Tickets
If you are an event organizer selling primary market tickets, there are two main fees Ticketmaster will charge you: a contract fee and a per ticket fee.
Contract Fee
The contract fee is a set fee Ticketmaster charges organizations to use their platform and ticketing services. This fee varies quite a bit depending on the size of the venue, the prestige of the event, expected ticket sales, and other factors. Some larger venues may pay a contract fee of $500,000 or more for multi-year contracts. Smaller venues and events might pay between $5,000 – $20,000.
Per Ticket Fee
In addition to the contract fee, Ticketmaster charges a per ticket fee. This ranges from around $0.50 per ticket up to 12% of the ticket face value. The exact amount depends on the same factors that determine the contract fee. Larger venues and premium events get charged a lower percentage per ticket fee. Smaller and more local events tend to pay a higher percentage per ticket sold through Ticketmaster.
So in summary, if you are the event organizer selling primary market tickets the total fees you’ll pay Ticketmaster range from around $5,000 on the low end up to hundreds of thousands for major venues and events.
Fees for Reselling Tickets
Ticketmaster allows everyday fans to resell event tickets they can no longer use. This is done through Ticketmaster’s ticket resale marketplaces.
If you are reselling tickets you purchased there are different fees to be aware of:
Seller Fee
This is a fee Ticketmaster charges per ticket listed for resale on their platform. The exact seller fee depends on the ticket value:
- Tickets $0-$150: Seller fee is 15% of ticket price
- Tickets $151-$500: Seller fee is 17% of ticket price
- Tickets $501-$1,500: Seller fee is 20% of ticket price
- Tickets $1,501+: Seller fee is 22% of ticket price
As you can see, the more expensive the ticket, the higher percentage fee Ticketmaster charges for sellers.
Service Fee
In addition to the seller fee, Ticketmaster charges a service fee to all buyers. This additional fee is added on top of the ticket’s resale price. The service fee helps Ticketmaster make additional revenue. It is not paid to the seller.
The service fee amount varies based on the ticket price, but is generally around 15% of the purchase price. Ticketmaster doesn’t disclose the exact amount ahead of time.
Delivery Fee
There is also a ticket delivery fee depending on your delivery method:
- Mobile transfer by Ticketmaster: $5.50 per order
- Standard mail: $7.35 per order
- Two-day delivery: $15 per order
- Overnight delivery: $23 per order
For mobile transfer, there is a flat rate. But for physical ticket delivery the fee is per order, not per ticket.
How Much Profit Do Sellers Make After Fees?
Based on Ticketmaster’s stated seller fees, here are some examples of how much profit you might make selling a ticket after fees are applied:
Sample Ticket Resale Profit & Fees
| Original Ticket Price | Resale Price | Seller Fee (15%) | Estimated Service Fee (15%) | Delivery Fee | Profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $100 | $150 | $22.50 | $22.50 | $5.50 | $99.50 |
| $75 | $125 | $18.75 | $18.75 | $5.50 | $82 |
| $300 | $500 | $85 | $75 | $5.50 | $334.50 |
| $1,000 | $1,500 | $300 | $225 | $5.50 | $969.50 |
As you can see from these examples, the seller ends up paying fees equal to 30% – 40% of the ticket resale price. You get to keep 60% – 70% as profit.
Of course, you need to factor in the price you originally paid for the tickets as well. If you can resell them for more than you paid upfront, then you’ll make a net profit even with Ticketmaster’s fees.
Tips for Minimizing Fees
Here are some tips for sellers to minimize fees and maximize profits on Ticketmaster:
- Sell tickets as early as possible. The earlier you list tickets for sale, the higher price you can command. This allows you to absorb fees easier.
- Price tickets attractively. Don’t overprice tickets too much above face value as fewer buyers will be willing to pay. You need a high sales price to account for fees.
- Transfer tickets via mobile instead of shipping. The mobile transfer fee is only $5.50 versus physical delivery fees of $7.35 and up.
- Offer tickets as single seats instead of groups. You pay one delivery fee per order, not per ticket. So filling separate orders with single seats minimizes your fees.
- Sell very high demand tickets. Buyers will be willing to pay higher prices for hot-ticket items like playoff games or must-see concerts. The high sales price helps offset the seller fees.
Ways to Avoid Fees Entirely
If you want to avoid paying Ticketmaster fees altogether, you have a couple options:
Sell on Alternative Marketplaces
Several alternatives to Ticketmaster allow peer-to-peer ticket sales with much lower or no seller fees. Popular options include:
- StubHub
- Vivid Seats
- SeatGeek
- TickPick
Shop around the various marketplaces as fee structures can change over time. Certain sites run promotions waiving seller fees for limited time periods as well.
Sell Outside of Marketplaces
You can avoid fees altogether by selling tickets outside of formal marketplaces. Options include:
- Sell to family, friends, co-workers, social media connections, etc.
- List tickets for sale on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace or other classified ads.
- Walk around outside the venue on the day of the event looking for buyers.
While this takes more effort on your part, you get to keep 100% of the ticket sale price. There are risks, however, such as getting stuck with extra tickets you can’t sell in time.
Is It Worth Paying Ticketmaster Fees?
At the end of the day, is it worth paying Ticketmaster’s seller fees that take 30% or more of your ticket resale price? Here are some pros and cons to weigh:
Pros of Using Ticketmaster
- Massive buyer audience. Ticketmaster has over 60 million monthly users who know and trust the brand.
- Reliable sale. Ticketmaster handles the entire transaction and exchange of tickets. You are guaranteed payment.
- Buyer guarantees. Ticketmaster offers buyers refunds if tickets are fraudulent or other issues arise.
- Seamless delivery. Buyers can get mobile tickets instantly or have expedited delivery options.
Cons of Using Ticketmaster
- High seller fees eat into your profits significantly.
- No control over pricing. Ticketmaster determines how high service and delivery fees are added onto your ticket price.
- Must split sale with Ticketmaster. They take over 30% of the selling price in fees.
Overall, Ticketmaster is the easiest and most popular ticket marketplace with the biggest audience of buyers. But you pay for that convenience through much higher fees compared to other secondary ticket sites.
Conclusion
There are a range of fees when selling tickets through Ticketmaster:
- New ticket sellers pay contract fees starting around $5,000 plus per ticket fees.
- Resellers pay 15% – 22% seller fees based on ticket price, plus delivery fees.
- All buyers pay around 15% service fees added to resale tickets.
After paying fees, ticket resellers typically keep 60% – 70% of the resale price as profit. Tickets listed higher and sold sooner tend to make the most money.
You can minimize fees by reselling via alternative ticket marketplaces, selling directly to buyers, or pricing tickets attractively. But many find Ticketmaster’s high fees worth it to access their massive buyer audience and have the sales process handled seamlessly.
