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The DOJ Files Lawsuit Against Ticketmaster & Live Nation: What Does This Mean?

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The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has launched a lawsuit against Ticketmaster’s parent company, Live Nation, in an effort to dismantle what it alleges to be an unlawful monopoly. The case has sent ripples through the live events industry, sparking debates about competition, fairness, and the future of live music. Attorney General Merrick Garland, in a speech on May 23, accused Live Nation of engaging in anticompetitive behavior that harms fans, artists, and smaller industry players. However, the company, which dominates ticket sales and concert promotion in the U.S., has responded by defending its practices and criticizing the DOJ’s actions. As this legal battle unfolds, here’s what we know so far.

Read More: Drake Ticket Prices Lead To Class Action Lawsuit Against Ticketmaster

DOJ’s Allegations

The DOJ’s lawsuit centers on accusations that Live Nation and Ticketmaster have leveraged their dominant market position to stifle competition. According to AG Garland, the company controls primary ticketing for 80% of major concert venues in the U.S. and also owns 60% of the larger amphitheaters. Additionally, Live Nation manages over 400 artists and promotes 60% of U.S. concerts, giving it extensive influence over the live events landscape. These practices, Garland argues, are both anticompetitive and illegal, ultimately disadvantaging fans, artists, and smaller promoters and venues.

Live Nation’s Defense

In response to the DOJ’s lawsuit, Live Nation issued a statement rejecting the accusations. The company described the claims as “absurd” and “disingenuous,” asserting that the DOJ is misleading the public about the impact of its market practices on ticket prices. Moreover, Live Nation argued that its operations do not inflate ticket prices and suggested that dismantling its business model would not lead to lower costs for consumers. This stance underscores the company’s belief that it provides value to the live events ecosystem despite its dominant market share.

Industry Reaction

The reaction from within the music industry has been mixed. The United Musicians and Allied Workers (UMAW) expressed strong support for the DOJ’s action, praising it as a significant step toward creating a fairer live music industry. In their statement to Pitchfork, UMAW highlighted the financial struggles faced by artists and fans due to Live Nation’s practices, advocating for a more sustainable model where music workers can earn fair wages and fans can afford tickets. This endorsement reflects broader concerns about the concentration of power in the hands of a single entity and its effects on the industry’s health.

Historical Context

taylor swift eras tour served as a catalyst for the ticketmaster/live nation lawsuit
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – NOVEMBER 19: Taylor Swift performs during night two of “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour” at Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos on November 19, 2023 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by TAS2023 via Getty Images)

The DOJ’s scrutiny of Live Nation-Ticketmaster is not new. The merger of the two companies in 2010 has been under investigation since 2018, with various incidents fueling the case against them. The 2022 controversy surrounding ticket sales for Taylor Swift’s Eras tour and subsequent class action lawsuits by fans have brought renewed attention to Ticketmaster’s practices. Earlier, in 2015, concert discovery tool Songkick sued the company for anticompetitive behavior, resulting in a $100 million settlement in 2018.

Read More: U.S. Senate Addresses Ticketmaster In Hearing After Taylor Swift Debacle

Live Nation’s legal and financial troubles extend beyond the current DOJ lawsuit. In 2019, a company executive was recorded admitting to placing tickets on resale sites, and Live Nation faced a $4.5 million fine in Canada for hidden fees and misleading pricing. The DOJ also fined the company $10 million in 2020 for hacking a competitor’s systems. Furthermore, in 2023, Ticketmaster introduced an “all-in pricing experience” to provide upfront cost transparency, a move seen as a response to ongoing criticism of its pricing practices.

Future Implications

The outcome of the DOJ’s lawsuit against Live Nation-Ticketmaster could have far-reaching implications for the live events industry. If the DOJ succeeds in breaking up the company, it could pave the way for increased competition, potentially lowering ticket prices and giving more opportunities to smaller promoters and venues. For now, the industry watches closely as this high-stakes legal battle unfolds, with the potential to reshape the landscape of live entertainment in the United States.

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Live Nation and Ticketmaster Sued by Justice Department Who Claim ‘It Is Time to Break It Up’

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Live Nation and Ticketmaster Sued by Justice Department Who Claim ‘It Is Time to Break It Up’

Move over TikTok, The United States Department of Justice’s war against big media is unrelenting after news broke the DOJ just sued Live Nation and Ticketmaster for violating the Sherman Antitrust Act, a move that could reshape the multibillion-dollar live entertainment company. Live Nation fully owns Ticketmaster, North America’s largest ticket vendor.

Get this: the DOJ’s complaint alleges that Live Nation-Ticketmaster monopolizes ticketing and uses this wide-reaching power to dominate the market and suppress competition. “It is time to break it up,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland during a Thursday press conference. That’s capitalism for you, but the DOJ is making its point, and this lawsuit is the real deal. 

Garland said in an official statement, “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. 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.”

Here’s where it gets current: when addressing the rationale behind the lawsuit, Garland cited the brought into the fold the public backlash from the Taylor Swift “Eras” tour ticket sales debacle: “In recent years, Live Nation and Ticketmaster’s exorbitant fees and technological failures have been criticized by fans and artists alike. We are not here today because Live Nation and Ticketmaster’s [customers] are frustrated. We are here because as we allege that conduct is anticompetitive.” I mean the tour made over a billion dollars and no one is blaming Swift or her Swifties, for the record. 

There is a 124-page complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, and it asserts that Live Nation-Ticketmaster unlawfully exercises its monopoly power in violation of Section 2 of the Sherman Act. 

More from the DOJ summary, “As a result of its conduct, music fans in the United States are deprived of ticketing innovation and forced to use outdated technology while paying more for tickets than fans in other countries. At the same time, Live Nation-Ticketmaster exercises its power over performers, venues, and independent promoters in ways that harm competition. Live Nation-Ticketmaster also imposes barriers to competition that limit the entry and expansion of its rivals.”

It gets even more interesting; the complaint also details how Live Nation-Ticketmaster maintains monopolies in concert promotions and primary ticketing markets and engages in exclusionary practices that affect venues. These practices reinforce a “flywheel” effect: a self-reinforcing business model capturing fees and revenue from fans and sponsors. This is then used to secure exclusive promotion deals with artists and long-term ticketing agreements with venues. This cycle, the DOJ argues, further entrenches Live Nation-Ticketmaster’s market power and creates barriers for competitors.

A Ticketmaster spokesperson claimed that the company faces “more competition today than it has ever had,” Live Nation-Ticketmaster controls over 80% of the market for primary ticket sales at the largest U.S. venues and holds exclusive ticketing contracts with many major stadiums and arenas. Okay, well we guess they have their reasons. Stay tuned for how this plays out. Until then, it’s festival season. Enjoy.

The post Live Nation and Ticketmaster Sued by Justice Department Who Claim ‘It Is Time to Break It Up’ first appeared on The Source.

The post Live Nation and Ticketmaster Sued by Justice Department Who Claim ‘It Is Time to Break It Up’ appeared first on The Source.

Why Is The Justice Department Suing Ticketmaster And Live Nation?

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As hinted at last month, the US Department Of Justice has officially filed an antitrust lawsuit against Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation, according to the Associated Press. The lawsuit has been a long time coming; while the suit was rumored to be in the works in April, Ticketmaster and Live Nation were subject to Congressional hearings last year (producing some groan worthy Taylor Swift puns) and the DOJ had been investigating them since late 2022.

Why Is The Justice Department Suing Ticketmaster And Live Nation?

In a statement, Attorney General Merrick Garland explained why the DOJ has filed the suit. “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,” he wrote. “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.”

According to the suit, among Ticketmaster’s illegal practices are tactics like using long-term contracts to keep venues from choosing other ticketing companies, blocking venues from using multiple ticket sellers, and threatening venues into choosing Ticketmaster by withholding Live Nation artists from performing there. This allegedly gives Ticketmaster and Live Nation an effective monopoly, with the resulting lack of competition allowing them to set prices and fee structures as high as they want.

Ticketmaster & Live Nation Sued By Justice Department For Exploitative Monopoly

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News broke earlier this year of a massive antitrust lawsuit from the Justice Department against Ticketmaster and, by extension, its parent company Live Nation. On Thursday (May 23), the governmental organization officially filed its suit against the entertainment conglomerates, accusing them of an illegal monopoly over live events in the U.S. that aggressively stifles competition and inflates fees and ticket prices. Moreover, authorities comprising 30 state and district attorneys general filed the lawsuit in Manhattan federal court. It aims to dismantle the alleged monopoly for the benefit of artists and promoters suffering at its hands.

“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,” a statement from Attorney General Merrick Garland read. “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.” This is not the only legal move that Live Nation is reckoning with right now, considering other debacles like the Astroworld tragedy.

Read More: Kanye West Still Planning World Tour Despite Live Nation Boycott

The Justice Department Sues Live Nation & Ticketmaster

Nevertheless, the Justice Department pointed to long-term venue contracts, blocking venues from using other sellers, and threatening venues to use their service as ways in which Ticketmaster unrightfully exerted or held their power over live U.S. events. Live Nation has continually denied any violations of antitrust laws. They cited “the large gap that exists between the quality of the Ticketmaster system and the next best primary ticketing system” as the explanation for its dominance in the market back when federal investigations bubbled up in 2022. However, the service’s competition claimed that they make market disruption impossible through, for example, threatening to withhold performers if venues don’t partner with Ticketmaster.

“Today’s action is a step forward in making this era of live music more accessible for the fans, the artists, and the industry that supports them,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. This joins other antitrust initiatives amid the Biden administration, including lawsuits and legal action against Apple, Google, Amazon, and more. Ticketmaster accounts for 70% of major venue ticket sales in the U.S., according to a 2022 federal lawsuit data. In 2019, the Justice Department found Live Nation liable for violating an agreement to not retaliate against venues using other ticketing services, which was established when it merged with Ticketmaster in 2010.

Read More: Live Nation Sued By Stagehand For The Weeknd

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US Department Of Justice Reportedly Suing To Break Up Live Nation & Ticketmaster, Citing ‘Illegally Maintaining A Monopoly’

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In April, The Wall Street Journal reported that The US Department Of Justice would soon file a lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster due to their joint monopoly over concert promotion. According to Bloomberg and The New York Times, the lawsuit is expected to be filed on Thursday, May 23, in the Southern District Of New York by the Department Of Justice and “a group of states.”

The New York Times relayed that the Department Of Justice is reportedly “accusing [Live Nation Entertainment] of illegally maintaining a monopoly in the live entertainment industry,” citing three unnamed sources.

“The government plans to argue in a lawsuit that Live Nation shored up its power through Ticketmaster’s exclusive ticketing contracts with concert venues, as well as the company’s dominance over concert tours and other businesses like venue management, said two of the people, who declined to be named because the lawsuit was still private,” The New York Times report continued. “That helped the company maintain a monopoly, raising prices and fees for consumers and limiting innovation in the ticket industry, the people said. The government will argue that tours promoted by the company were more likely to play venues where Ticketmaster was the exclusive ticket service, one of the people said, and that Live Nation’s artists played venues that it owns.”

Bloomberg additionally noted, “The move is the latest antitrust suit pursued by the Biden administration, which has made competition a key component of its economic policy, bringing cases against companies including Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Amazon.com Inc.”

This is far from the first time Ticketmaster has had legal troubles, but Ticketmaster’s reputation was really set ablaze with its gross mishandling of Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour in late 2022, which earned a scathing statement from Swift, an investigation by the Department Of Justice, and a Senate Committee hearing.

Travis Scott Astroworld Lawsuit: Trial Start Date Revealed

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Overall, the Travis Scott Astroworld Festival in 2021 was a disaster. Ten people were killed during the festival, and thousands of others were injured during a crowd crush. It was one of the biggest festival tragedies in the history of hip-hop, and the ramifications are still being felt to this day. Scott, Live Nation, and even Apple Inc. have been subjected to numerous lawsuits. However, it was recently revealed that Scott had settled nine of the 10 wrongful death lawsuits that had been filed.

Now, Scott is still facing one more for the death of 9-year-old Ezra Blount. A couple of days ago in Houston, State District Judge Kristen Hawkins revealed that the trial for this lawsuit would begin in September. In fact, the exact date for jury selection has been set for September 10th. The family of Blount wanted to have the trial earlier, but judge Hawkins revealed that this would not be feasible at the moment. Of course, the trial could be canceled if Scott and Live Nation come through with a settlement in the next few months.

Read More: What Is Travis Scott’s Best-Selling Album?

Travis Scott Could Be On The Stand Soon

US rapper Travis Scott arrives for the screening of the film “The Idol” during the 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 22, 2023. (Photo by Valery HACHE / AFP) (Photo by VALERY HACHE/AFP via Getty Images)

In addition to the wrongful death lawsuits, there are also a ton of injury cases that are still ongoing. Following the tragedy, it was well known that this would be a legal nightmare for the artist. For now, the recent settlement amounts have not been disclosed. That said, it seems clear that this is costing Scott millions of dollars right now.

Let us know what you think about the Travis Scott Astroworld situation, in the comments section down below. Do you believe that Travis Scott was at fault for all of this? Do you feel safe when attending big festivals? Are festivals doing enough for safety and first responders? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.

Read More: Travis Scott Teases New Album

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Travis Scott And Live Nation Have Reportedly Settled 9 Out Of 10 Wrongful Death Lawsuits In Relation To The 2021 Astroworld Tragedy

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Following a deathly crowd surge at Travis Scott‘s 2021 Astroworld Festival, 10 families filed wrongful death lawsuits against the rapper and Live Nation. According to a report from the Associated Press, nine of the 10 lawsuits have been settled.

The news arrived Today (May 9), as one of the lawsuits was set to go to trial this week.

Jury selection was set to begin Tuesday in the wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of Madison Dubiski, a 23-year-old Houston resident who was one of 10 people killed in the 2021 Astroworld tragedy. However, Neal Manne, an attorney for Live Nation, said during a court hearing today that nine of the suits were settled, including one for Madison Dubiski.

“Mr. Scott is grateful that a resolution has been reached without the need for a trial,” said Ted Anastasiou, a representative for Scott. “The confidential agreement will honor Madison Dubiski’s legacy and promote improvements for concert safety.”

Noah Wexler, an attorney for Dubiski’s family, also confirmed that the case has been “resolved in its entirety.”

At the time of writing, the suit filed by the family of 9-year-old Ezra Blount, the youngest person killed during the concert, is still pending.

“As the youngest victim, Ezra’s terror must have been unimaginable as the crowd surge ripped him from the safety of his father’s shoulders and then crushed and suffocated the life out of his small body,” Bob Hilliard, an attorney for Blount’s family, said in a statement following Wednesday’s hearing.

Travis Scott & Live Nation Settle Nine Wrongful Death Lawsuits Over Astroworld Tragedy

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In November of 2021, tragedy struck Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival, when a deadly crowd crush claimed the lives of 10 attendees. The incident resulted in 10 wrongful death lawsuits being filed by the victims’ families against Scott, Live Nation, and more. Now, according to the Associate Press, nine of the suits have been settled outside of court.

One lawsuit filed by the family of Madison Dubiski, who was 23 when she was killed as a result of the crowd crush, was originally expected to go to trial. Jury selection was scheduled to begin later this month. During a court hearing today (May 8), Live Nation’s attorney Neal Manne said that the case has been settled. An attorney for Dubiski’s family, Noah Wexler, also confirmed that the case “is resolved in its entirety” during the hearing. Terms of the settlement have not been revealed. The attorneys declined to comment outside of court due to a gag order.

Read More: Travis Scott Announces European Leg Of His Epic Circus Maximus Tour

9-Year-Old Ezra Blount’s Family Ready For Trial

Travis Scott & Live Nation Settle Nine Wrongful Death Lawsuits Over Astroworld Tragedy
Travis Scott performs during 2021 Astroworld Festival at NRG Park on November 05, 2021 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Erika Goldring/WireImage)

The lawsuit that remains was filed by the family of the youngest person killed in the crowd crush, nine-year-old Ezra Blount. The family’s attorney says the case is ready to go to trial. The attorneys for the defendants being sued, however, say they’re not ready. News of the settlements comes after Scott’s motion to be dismissed from the lawsuit was denied last month.

“No one disputes that tragedy struck the Astroworld Festival,” the performer’s attorneys argued at the time. “But promoting and performing at a concert do not equate to the power to control a crowd or to design a venue safely. Basic tort principles prevent imposing liability on the Scott Defendants for a tragedy arising from forces legally controlled by others.” What do you think of Live Nation settling nine out of the 10 wrongful death lawsuits to come out of the Astroworld Festival tragedy? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.

Read More: Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival Trial Delayed Right Before Scheduled Start Date

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21 Savage, Peso Pluma, And Maggie Rogers Announce $25 Tickets For Concerts

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Concert season is upon us. And yes, we all know the struggles of buying tickets online. But thankfully, Live Nation is giving us a sweet reprieve from breaking the bank. Today (May 1), the live music power house announced the return of Concert Week, a week-long promo in which tickets for some of the year’s most anticipated shows go on sale for only $25.

Tickets will go on sale beginning May 8 through May 14. Tickets will be good for over 5,000 and 900 artists. 21 Savage, Alanis Morissette, Cage The Elephant, Celeste Barber, Dan + Shay, Dierks Bentley, Feid, Janet Jackson, Meghan Trainor, New Kids On The Block, Peso Pluma, Sean Paul, Thirty Seconds To Mars, and more.

During the week of Live Nation’s Concert Week promo, fans can visit Live Nation’s official website and select a show from there. Once they’ve selected a show, fans should look for the ticket type labeled “Concert Week Promotion.” Then, fans will add their tickets to the cart and proceed to checkout from there.

This year marks 10 years since Live Nation introduced this promo. And in celebration of the milestone, the concert week promo is expanding to over 20 different countries, including those in Australia, Asia, Europe, the UK and the Middle East.

Fans can see the artists and venues participating here.

Ticketmaster And Live Nation Are Reportedly Being Sued By The Justice Department For Creating A Touring Monopoly

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The US Department of Justice is about to drop the hammer on Live Nation and Ticketmaster for their longstanding monopoly over concert promotion. According to The Wall Street Journal, the DOJ is preparing to bring an antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation — which it could file as soon as next month — for using its leverage over live events ticketing through Ticketmaster to undermine competition in the space.

Live Nation acquired Ticketmaster in 2010, and since then, consumers have complained of increasing prices and fees, while at the same time, independently owned venues have gone out of business or been absorbed into Live Nation’s network. The issues came to a head with the return of live entertainment after the 2020 shutdown over COVID, with fans experiencing problems buying tickets for <Beyoncé and Taylor Swift’s return tours.

Those problems spawned a href=”https://uproxx.com/pop/ticketmaster-hearing-senators-corny-taylor-swift-jokes/” target=”_blank” title=””>Congressional hearings about Ticketmaster’s business practices, prompted Ticketmaster to revise some of its policies, and even sparked a class action lawsuit from Ticketmaster customers who felt jilted by hidden fees, website breakdowns, and vastly inflated prices. Separately, but probably relatedly (we have eyes), several musicians’ tours across genre were canceled or shortened by low ticket sales in the past year, with social media users pointing out that prices have just gotten too high to afford for most people.

Meanwhile, Live Nation’s head of corporate affairs Dan Wall has argued that artists set prices, that those prices are subject to high demand and low supply, and that the majority of the fees charged go to venues (failing to mention, of course, who owns an outsized and growing proportion of those venues).

As noted by WSJ, the federal government did not try to block the merger between Live Nation and Ticketmaster but did agree to a settlement in which Live Nation and Ticketmaster would incur steep fines if they were found to be retaliating against venue operators making use of competing ticketing services by doing things like blocking Live Nation artists from playing those venues. Of course, in 2019, Live Nation was found to be violating exactly those terms, forcing an extension of the settlement terms to 2025. It looks like it still wasn’t enough; now, Live Nation could find itself in an even more precarious position.