A Bruno Mars fan's resale listing on Ticketmaster is drawing attention because the math looked wildly different depending on which side of the sale you were on.
The seller listed her ticket for $299, yet buyers saw the same seat for $422.45, while her projected payout was just $254.15.
Here's what to know
According to TicketNews, the seat at issue was Section 235, Row 19, Seat 4. In a TikTok video, a content creator using the handle @brickbuster69 pulled up Ticketmaster's "Edit Listing" page for one Bruno Mars ticket. The screen showed the ticket at $299, included a $44.85 service fee, and estimated that the seller would receive $254.15.
@brickbuster69 @Ticketmaster what is ur problem #ticketmaster #ticketmasterscam #ticketmasterdobetter #concerts ♬ original sound - brickbuster69
Looking at the same spot from the buyer side produced a different number: $422.45.
Measured against the asking price, the buyer-facing total was $123.45 higher. Compared with the seller's projected payout, the spread was $168.30.
Rather than comparing separate offers, the video focused on a single listing so viewers could match the numbers on the seller screen with the numbers shown to shoppers.
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According to Ticketmaster, a reseller sets the starting price and then receives whatever remains after applicable fees are deducted. It also says those resale fees can be shared among parties involved in the event and can cover operating costs and profit.
On the buyer side, Ticketmaster says the total shown before taxes generally already includes mandatory fees. So some of the gap between a reseller's posted price and a buyer's displayed total may come from charges baked into the advertised amount instead of appearing only at the end.
The breakdown of the extra $123.45 above the $299 listing price is left unresolved, including whether any of that amount reflected something beyond service fees.
What's being done?
One policy already in effect is Ticketmaster's display of the full ticket cost, including mandatory fees, before taxes.
Ticketmaster also says sellers set the base price for their own resale listings, with applicable seller fees deducted afterward from what they are paid. On this listing, the seller's screen showed that deduction as $44.85 on a $299 price.
Separately, Ticketmaster and Live Nation are defending a federal lawsuit from the Federal Trade Commission and seven states that challenges a range of ticketing and resale practices.
The issue is part of a broader fight over pricing transparency, fee structures, and whether major ticketing platforms are treating fans fairly.
For the fan at the center of the video, the reaction was simple after seeing the numbers on both sides of the sale: "That is so gross."
Where can I learn more?
For more on the fees and pricing surprises frustrating shoppers, these articles cover concert ticket charges, steep show prices, hidden checkout rules, arena parking shock, and an airline ticket controversy.
• Fans blasted email ticket delivery fees after digital concert tickets came with extra charges.
• Kid Rock fans questioned his concert ticket prices as 2026 seats drew backlash online.
• Retailers kept add-to-cart prices hidden, fueling more suspicion about upfront costs.
• Outside Atlanta's State Farm Arena, absurd parking lot prices stunned drivers before events.
• Qatar Airways faced outrage after ghost flights to Australia exposed a legal loophole.
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