TKO Group Holdings, the corporate entity behind UFC and WWE, is increasingly seen as a potential contender to Ticketmaster’s long-standing dominance in the live event ticketing market. A recent antitrust settlement involving Live Nation has created opportunities for other platforms such as StubHub and SeatGeek, who are now gaining traction amidst evolving market dynamics.
Settlement Transforms Ticketing Landscape
Live Nation recently finalized an antitrust lawsuit initiated by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2024. This agreement, which still awaits court approval, mandates a $280 million payment to the states involved in the suit. Crucially, it compels Ticketmaster to allow competing platforms like SeatGeek to utilize certain parts of its ticketing infrastructure for sales.
Under the new terms, venues now have more flexibility to choose alternative ticketing providers like StubHub and SeatGeek. Exclusive contracts with Ticketmaster are now capped at a maximum duration of four years, and service fees are limited to 15% of the ticket price.
Live Nation currently manages over 460 venues, while Ticketmaster controls approximately 80% of the primary ticket market. The settlement also removes the prior requirement for artists performing at Live Nation venues to exclusively use Ticketmaster for their ticketing needs.
TKO’s Strategic Position in Live Events
Established in 2023 through the merger of UFC and WWE, TKO has formed a dedicated Live Events Strategy Team. This team is tasked with overseeing scheduling, ticketing operations, and enhancing fan experiences across both premier brands. Notably, WWE’s live event revenue significantly increased, reaching $82.5 million in Q3 2025, up from $51.1 million in the preceding year.
Since the merger, ticket prices for WWE’s North American televised events have nearly doubled, showing higher averages in 2025 according to industry data. The average distribution for RAW and SmackDown shows has also risen to 11,500 tickets. TKO reports robust demand, with WWE President Nick Khan indicating plans to further increase prices in markets where venue capacity remains consistently high. Furthermore, European tour tickets have sold exceptionally well in anticipation of the 2026 Royal Rumble event in Saudi Arabia.
The Role of Ticketmaster, StubHub, and SeatGeek
Secondary market platforms such as StubHub list resale tickets for UFC events, for example, a recent Fight Night at The O2 Arena, with prices starting from £320 for upper-tier seating. SeatGeek is explicitly mentioned as a beneficiary in the settlement terms, offering features like “DealScore” to help users compare prices and find alternatives to Ticketmaster. While Ticketmaster continues to be the primary vendor for official UFC and WWE ticket sales, the high demand for these events significantly boosts secondary market activity on platforms like StubHub and SeatGeek, as TKO events consistently sell out arenas.
This settlement has wide-ranging implications for all live events, including TKO’s extensive schedule of over 300 WWE shows and 40-45 UFC fight cards annually. Major venues, such as T-Mobile Arena, have already extended their agreements with TKO until 2030. TKO is actively seeking to secure over $1 billion in new partnerships, which could include significant ticketing ventures.
The Live Nation settlement provides a clear opportunity for UFC events, under the TKO umbrella, to directly challenge Ticketmaster’s market stronghold. This means venues like T-Mobile Arena, which hosts more than 40 UFC cards each year, can now opt to use SeatGeek or StubHub for ticket sales without being bound by restrictive long-term exclusive contracts. TKO’s live event revenue has soared, with WWE ticket prices doubling post-2023 merger, fueling discussions about the potential for TKO to develop its own in-house ticketing platforms or partner with rival services to capture a larger share of revenue from its 300+ annual shows, especially with growing demand from Saudi Arabian expansions and successful European tours driving secondary market sales.
