Justice Department says illegal monopoly by Ticketmaster and Live Nation drives up prices for fans

[In It to Win It]

https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-live-nation-ticketmaster-antitrust-lawsuit-df9b552d127e1494db13e3cd625787a8

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department filed a sweeping antitrust lawsuit against Ticketmaster and parent company Live Nation Entertainment on Thursday, accusing them of running an illegal monopoly over live events in America — squelching competition and driving up prices for fans.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Manhattan, was being brought with 30 state and district attorneys general and seeks to break up the monopoly they say is squeezing out smaller promoters and hurting artists.

“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 Garland said 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.”

The Justice Department accuses Live Nation of a slew of practices that allow it to maintain a stronghold over the live music scene, including using long-term contracts to keep venues from choosing rival ticketers, blocking venues from using multiple ticket sellers and threatening venues that they could lose money and fans if they don’t choose Ticketmaster. The Justice Department says Live Nation also threatened to retaliate against one firm if it didn’t stop a subsidiary from competing for artist promotion contracts.

[walkingman]

1. No shit sherlock - now do something about it. I don't think we need more research.

[unblock]

2. From the no shit Sherlock department, but glad they're finally doing something about it

Something is really off when the ticketing company makes more than either the venue or the act.

Of course, their hold on the market was a problem even before the merger, which made the merger's approval all the more ridiculous.

[onecaliberal]

3. As do countless other industries. Not only ticketmaster.

[hlthe2b]

4. I remember going to lots of concerts & events as a teen. Hardly any in the past 20+ years...

Events are ridiculously expensive and the high ticket prices are in addition to sometimes very expensive travel/parking costs--or even lodging if too distant.

Honestly, I think major concert tours ought to be routinely recorded for streaming to larger audiences later on. I still treasure some concerts I saw in person that ended up on DVD.

[BluesRunTheGame]

5. I miss the days when concert prices were reasonable...

[SupportSanity]

6. And Woodstock tickets were only .....

See for yourself (and this was for a whole day of music)