US Justice Department and State Attorneys General Take Action Against Live Nation-Ticketmaster
Allegations of Market Manipulation
The US Justice Department, along with 30 state and district attorneys general, has filed a complaint against Live Nation-Ticketmaster due to “unprecedented demand,” as reported by The New York Times.
Methods of Market Control
The complaint outlines several strategies that Live Nation-Ticketmaster allegedly employs to dominate the market:
- Exploiting Partnerships: The company is accused of leveraging its relationship with Oak View Group, a potential competitor that manages live event venues but refrains from bidding against Live Nation for artist talent.
- Financial Retaliation: The government claims that Live Nation-Ticketmaster has threatened financial consequences to deter new competitors from entering the market.
- Retaliation Against Venues: The company allegedly retaliates against venues that choose to work with its rivals.
- Exclusionary Contracts: The complaint also mentions that Live Nation-Ticketmaster uses contracts to prevent venues from switching to competitors or using multiple ticketing services.
Ongoing Investigation
Live Nation is currently under investigation, a process that began during the previous administration.
Update, May 23rd: This article has been updated to include comment from Live Nation.
2 Comments
Is this the start of more antitrust actions?
Wow, this could be a game-changer for concert-goers!