Secondary ticketing platforms sue Washington DC to block resale price caps

Four major secondary ticketing marketplaces have sued the District of Columbia to block a local law that caps ticket resale prices. According to Music Business Worldwide, SeatGeek, Vivid Seats, TickPick, and Gametime filed the complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia on October 14, 2026. The Ticket Policy Forum, a trade association representing online ticket marketplaces, joined the suit as the lead plaintiff. [1]

Music Business Worldwide reported that the legal challenge targets the District of Columbia's RESALE Act, which is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027. The law imposes a 10 percent cap on the resale price of tickets for concerts, theater performances, and comedy shows. The plaintiffs are seeking a preliminary injunction to stop the District from enforcing the price limits before the law takes effect. [1]

Vivid Seats was founded in 2001 in Chicago, Illinois, by Jerry Bednyak and Eric Vassilatos as a ticket brokerage firm for live sports, concerts, and theater events. SeatGeek was established in September 2009 by Jack Groetzinger and Russell D'Souza as a secondary market search engine designed to aggregate ticket inventory across multiple platforms. [5][6]

The legal action comes as ticket secondary markets face increasing regulatory oversight over pricing and transparency. According to Music Business Worldwide, the plaintiffs contend that the price cap will disrupt standard operations across digital ticket marketplaces if the January 1, 2027 enforcement date goes forward. [1]