Ticketmaster faces lawsuit over Drake ticket prices

Canadian rapper Drake is set to perform at two separate shows in Montreal later this year

A Canadian law firm has filed a class-action lawsuit against Ticketmaster for allegedly inflating ticket prices for an upcoming Drake concert.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of a Quebec man, who argued that he had overpaid for a 14 July show before a second tour date was announced.

The ticket price for the same seat at the second show was C$360 ($262; £214) cheaper, the lawsuit claims.

It is the latest complaint against the popular ticketing website.

In the lawsuit filed on 21 March, law firm LPC Advocat Inc described the lead plaintiff as a massive fan of the Toronto rap star who purchased "Official Platinum" tickets for Drake's Montreal show for C$789.54 each.

Ticketmaster announced a second Montreal tour date the following day, and the same seats were being sold for C$427 each.

The lawsuit claims that Ticketmaster inflated ticket prices of the first show by marking them as "Official Platinum" and as "some of the best seats in the house" though they were in the upper deck of the arena.

It claims that Ticketmaster was aware that a second Drake show would be added and misled consumers.

"There is no way that Drake didn't know that he was performing two nights in Montreal," lawyer Joey Zukran, who filed the lawsuit, told the BBC.

The lawsuit, which must still be certified, is asking the court to bar Ticketmaster from branding tickets as "Official Platinum" if they are not the best seats available, and for the company to refund ticket holders the price difference and C$300 in damages.

The BBC has reached out to Ticketmaster for comment.

Ticketmaster has repeatedly faced criticism from fans and politicians who say it has too much control over the live music market and artificially inflates the cost of tickets with fees and service charges.

Ticketmaster is the world's largest ticket seller. It represents about 70% of all tickets sold in the US.

Earlier this month, The Cure's frontman Robert Smith criticised Ticketmaster when it emerged that, in some cases, additional fees were charged to fans buying tour tickets that added up to more than the face value of the ticket.

In response, Ticketmaster agreed to offer partial refunds to ticket-holding fans of the British band.