DOJ, states oppose partial dismissal in Live Nation antitrust lawsuit

Update:

• The U.S. Department of Justice and 40 state and district attorneys asked a New York federal judge not to trim claims they filed in a civil antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster. 
• The lawsuit alleges the companies have an unfair monopoly in the live event ticket market and can charge uncompetitive prices and fees.
• On Oct. 16, the U.S. Department of Justice and the states filed a rebuttal to Live Nation’s motion seeking partial dismissal of the case, arguing it was telling that Live Nation only challenged part of the lawsuit filed against it.
• The lawsuit says the companies’ unlawful monopoly power reduces ticketing innovation and forces customers to use outdated technology while paying more for tickets than fans in other countries.

DOJ Ticketmaster, Live Nation Lawsuit overview: 

• Who: The U.S. Department of Justice and 30 state and district attorneys filed a civil antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster. 
• Why: The lawsuit alleges Live Nation and Ticketmaster have an unfair monopoly in the live event ticket market and can charge uncompetitive prices and fees.
• Where: The Live Nation lawsuit was filed in federal court in New York.

(May 28, 2024)

The U.S. Department of Justice and 30 state and district attorneys filed a civil antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster, claiming the companies have an unfair monopoly in the live event ticket market and can charge uncompetitive prices and fees.

The lawsuit came just over a month after a report saying the DOJ lawsuit was imminent.

The lawsuit says the companies’ unlawful monopoly power reduces ticketing innovation and forces customers to use outdated technology while paying more for tickets than fans in other countries.

“We allege that Live Nation relies on unlawful, anticompetitive conduct to exercise its monopolistic control over the live events industry in the United States at the cost of fans, artists, smaller promoters and venue operators,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland says in a statement. “The result is that fans pay more in fees, artists have fewer opportunities to play concerts, smaller promoters get squeezed out and venues have fewer real choices for ticketing services. It is time to break up Live Nation-Ticketmaster.” 

Live Nation, Ticketmaster monopoly blocks competition, lawsuit claims

Live Nation and Ticketmaster use their monopoly to exclude competitors from the arena, amphitheater and live concert venue market, the lawsuit says.

The companies charge fees and collect revenue from concert fans and sponsorship, use the funding to lock up artists to exclusive promotion deals and then leverage that live content to sign venues into long-term exclusive ticketing deals, according to the DOJ lawsuit.

“Our fight against corporate wrongdoing includes an intense focus on anticompetitive conduct – which disadvantages consumers, workers and businesses of all kinds,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco says in a DOJ press release. “Today’s complaint alleges that Live Nation-Ticketmaster have engaged in anticompetitive conduct to cement their dominance of the live concert market and act as the gatekeeper for an entire industry.”

Do you believe Live Nation has unfair control on event ticket costs? Let us know in the comments.

The DOJ Ticketmaster and Live Nation lawsuit is United States of America, et al. v. Live Nation Entertainment Inc., et al., Case No. 1:24-cv-03973, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

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