Ticketmaster, one of the largest ticket sales and distribution companies, has a policy that limits customers to purchasing only 4 tickets per household for many events. This limit of 4 tickets is frustrating for some customers who want to buy tickets for large groups. However, Ticketmaster defends this policy as necessary to discourage ticket brokers and ensure more fans have access to tickets.
What is Ticketmaster’s 4 ticket limit?
For many major concerts, sports events, and other high-demand events, Ticketmaster enforces a 4 ticket limit per household. This means each customer is restricted to purchasing just 4 tickets in a single transaction when tickets first go on sale.
The 4 ticket limit applies specifically to tickets being sold through Ticketmaster for the first time. Once tickets are on sale on resale sites, there may not be limits in place. But when newly released tickets are being sold directly through Ticketmaster, each customer is capped at 4.
This policy is in place for many major events, including concerts by popular musicians like Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen, and The Weeknd. It also applies to major sporting events like the Super Bowl. However, not every event will have the 4 ticket cap. Some events have limits of 6 or 8 tickets instead. And less high-demand events may not have any ticket limits at all.
Why does Ticketmaster have this policy?
Ticketmaster defends the 4 ticket limit as a way to discourage ticket brokers and give more fans access to tickets. Without the limit, they argue that brokers could purchase dozens or hundreds of tickets at once and then resell them at higher prices.
By capping each customer at 4 tickets, Ticketmaster aims to distribute tickets more widely to unique customers rather than having all the tickets snapped up by a small number of power buyers.
Ticketmaster states that the 4 ticket limit gives a few tickets to hundreds of thousands of fans rather than a huge supply to just a few brokers. In theory, this makes tickets available to more individual customers rather than just brokers reselling at high markups.
Discouraging ticket brokers
One of the biggest reasons for Ticketmaster’s 4 ticket limit is to discourage ticket brokers from buying up large quantities of tickets. Brokers are companies or individuals who buy tickets solely to resell them at higher prices.
Without limits in place, brokers have the resources to buy dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of tickets the moment they go on sale. For example, they may use bots or hired staff to purchase tickets rapidly. This allows them to buy a huge supply before regular customers can get tickets.
By immediately buying up a majority of the ticket supply, brokers can then control the secondary resale market. With limited tickets available, they can resell them at extremely high markups. Customers have no choice but to pay the inflated prices if they want to attend the event.
Ticketmaster’s 4 ticket limit prevents brokers from buying hundreds of tickets at the initial sale. This allows more customers to get tickets before they are swallowed up by brokers.
Increasing access for fans
In addition to limiting brokers, Ticketmaster says the 4 ticket limit increases access for genuine fans. Without it, all the tickets could sell out instantly to just a fraction of buyers.
For example, a venue with 15,000 tickets could sell out to just 3,750 buyers if each purchased the maximum (4 tickets x 3,750 buyers = 15,000 tickets). But with the 4 ticket cap, it takes a wider pool of at least 4,000 buyers for the venue to sell out.
While 4,000 buyers is still a small share of the population, it does represent more fans getting access than just 3,750. According to Ticketmaster, spreading tickets among more individual customers, even by a small amount, is better than the alternative.
The 4 ticket limit makes tickets available to hundreds of thousands of customers instead of just a few thousand bulk buyers. While each buyer still gets a small allotment, more total fans end up with tickets in the end.
Criticisms and frustrations over the policy
While Ticketmaster defends the 4 ticket limit, the policy also draws plenty of criticism. Many customers express frustration over the restriction.
Unable to buy tickets for groups
One of the biggest complaints over the 4 ticket limit is that it prevents customers from purchasing tickets for large groups. Whether it’s a group of friends attending together or a parent buying for their family, 4 tickets is often not enough.
Groups larger than 4 have to make multiple separate purchases and hope they can get seats together. Or they have to turn to the secondary market and likely pay substantially higher prices.
The 4 ticket limit makes it extremely difficult for larger parties to sit together. For many customers, part of the event experience is attending as a group. The 4 ticket policy hinders this experience.
Creates logistical headaches
Getting a group of people to make separate ticket purchases also creates logistical issues. The purchases have to be carefully coordinated and timed. If tickets are truly limited, one member of the group could end up with tickets while others miss out.
It also requires multiple people to be online and ready to buy at the exact ticket sale start time. For groups not technologically savvy, this adds frustration. Some customers complain Ticketmaster should make it easier, not harder, for large parties to attend events together.
Forces use of secondary market
By limiting customers to 4 tickets initially, Ticketmaster essentially forces them to use resale sites to obtain larger quantities. While Ticketmaster argues this spreads out tickets in the short run, it still results in groups turning to resellers in the long run.
Critics argue the 4 ticket policy does not reduce the role of brokers. It often just delays it. Groups still end up buying from brokers, but at inflated prices they would have avoided if Ticketmaster allowed larger initial purchases.
Complaints of unfairness
Some customers view the rigid 4 ticket limit as simply unfair. They argue that if someone is willing and able to purchase 10 or 20 tickets, they should be allowed. Preventing customers from buying more feels arbitrary and illogical to these critics.
There are also complaints that Ticketmaster does not consistently enforce its stated policies. Some customers claim the limits are not applied equally and some large purchases still get through.
How Ticketmaster responds to the criticism
Ticketmaster stands behind the effectiveness and fairness of its 4 ticket limit. Here are some of the main counterarguments they present to customer criticism.
Policy is well-disclosed
Ticketmaster states that their ticket limit is clearly disclosed ahead of time for applicable events. Customers have advance notice to understand they will be capped at 4 tickets.
The policy is not a hidden rule suddenly sprung on buyers. It is transparently shared so customers can plan accordingly when trying to purchase tickets.
Unique customers are prioritized
According to Ticketmaster, the ticket buying experience is made fairer and more equitable by enforcing limits. It gives each unique customer an equal shot at getting some tickets when sales open.
Prioritizing more individual customers over fewer bulk buyers is seen as the fairest way to distribute limited tickets. It prevents a small number of buyers dominating the initial supply.
Does not eliminate brokers
Ticketmaster admits that their limits do not stop brokers entirely. However, they state it does hamper their ability to buy huge blocks of tickets early. This at least makes more tickets available to regular fans at initial list prices.
While the policy cannot prevent all broker activity, Ticketmaster argues that limiting them where possible is better than having no limits at all.
Examples of other major ticket sellers with limits
Ticketmaster is not alone in enforcing ticket limits. Many other major ticket companies also have policies in place to restrict the number of tickets customers can buy.
AXS
AXS is a ticketing platform owned by AEG that is one of Ticketmaster’s major competitors. Like Ticketmaster, they also implement ticket limits for major events.
For very high demand shows, AXS will often enforce a limit of 4-8 tickets per customer. This includes major acts like Elton John, Justin Bieber, and Kendrick Lamar when they are performing at AXS-ticketed venues.
AXS uses this limit to help prevent brokers from buying hundreds of tickets and to give more fans access. It is a similar rationale and policy to Ticketmaster’s limits.
StubHub
StubHub is a major secondary ticket marketplace where resellers list tickets for sale. To discourage brokers, StubHub also implements some restrictions.
Their limits focus on selling activity rather than buying. Each account is restricted to selling no more than 500 tickets per event. Beyond this limit, additional sales are blocked. This helps curb power sellers who are trying to offload huge quantities of tickets.
NFL
The NFL implements ticket limits for highly coveted events like the Super Bowl. The league’s policy caps Super Bowl purchases at 4 tickets per household for the first day or two that they are available.
After this initial limit, the NFL may lift restrictions for a short period of time. But limits are kept in place again as the Super Bowl draws closer to discourage last-minute bulk buying by brokers.
The NFL follows a ticket limit strategy similar to Ticketmaster to promote wider distribution of tickets to unique customers when they first go on sale.
How customers try to circumvent the Ticketmaster limits
The frustrations over Ticketmaster’s 4 ticket limit causes some customers to get creative in circumventing the restrictions. Here are some common ways buyers try to purchase more than the allowed number of tickets.
Use multiple accounts
One strategy is for customers to set up multiple Ticketmaster user accounts, often under different names and contact info. This allows them to make 4 ticket purchases per account, greatly exceeding the limit.
However, Ticketmaster monitors for suspicious repeated purchases and may cancel orders. There is also a risk of tickets being voided or app access revoked if duplicate accounts are detected.
Enlist friends and family
Another approach is asking friends and family members to purchase tickets. Each person can buy 4 tickets with their own account. Those purchases are then combined to create a larger block.
This can be effective but requires coordination. All purchasers need to be logged on and ready to buy at the precise sale start time. Communication and trust are also needed when transferring tickets later.
Use bot software
More sophisticated methods involve using specialized ticket-buying bot software. These programs can mask identities and make large coordinated purchases across many accounts very quickly.
However, this method requires a high software and technical proficiency. Bot purchases also run a high risk of being detected and cancelled by Ticketmaster if patterns appear suspicious.
Conclusion
Ticketmaster’s 4 ticket limit continues to stir up frustration among some customers looking to make large purchases. But the company stands behind the policy as an effective way to distribute tickets widely and keep initial supply from being swallowed up solely by brokers.
While no system is perfect, Ticketmaster argues their limits promote fairness and access when newly released tickets go on sale. By restricting each buyer to 4 tickets, more individual fans have a chance to purchase tickets before they sell out.
Customers continue to find creative workarounds to the limits. But Ticketmaster states the perfect should not be the enemy of the good. If the limits are circumvented sometimes, but still prevent brokers from buying huge blocks at the outset, the company views the policy as beneficial overall.
The 4 ticket limit aims to balance Ticketmaster’s stated priority of getting tickets into the hands of as many unique customers as possible. Fewer mass purchases means slower sellouts and more satisfied fans.
While groups of families and friends may continue to chafe at the restrictions, Ticketmaster believes the limits do more good than harm. Tickets end up distributed among more buyers rather than a small handful of bulk purchasers. Even with some lingering frustrations, this wider initial dispersion is seen by Ticketmaster as the fairest compromise.
