Ticketmaster to face federal antitrust lawsuit: reports
The Justice Department is preparing to file a federal antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation, the parent company of Ticketmaster, according to multiple reports.
The Wall Street Journal first reported Monday that the Justice Department will be filing an antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation in the coming weeks, citing people familiar with the matter. Live Nation and Ticketmaster have faced widespread public scrutiny for its dominance in the ticketing industry, which critics say has allowed them to raise prices on live entertainment.
Ticketmaster has also garnered national attention after its meltdown during singer Taylor Swift’s online presale, which prevented thousands of her fans from purchasing tickets for her “Eras Tour” in 2022. Since then, lawmakers have raised questions about Ticketmaster’s parent company, Live Nation, and whether it has engaged in anticompetitive practices.
The merger between concert promoter Live Nation and Ticketmaster was approved in 2010 by the Justice Department following an antitrust investigation. Live Nation has maintained that there is plenty of competition in the ticketing industry despite the concerns raised by lawmakers.
Live Nation declined to comment on the Wall Street Journal story when reached by The Hill.
Live Nation’s head of Corporate Affairs, Dan Wall, has pushed back on accusations that Ticketmaster and Live Nation are responsible for high ticket prices. He wrote in a blog post earlier this year that ticket prices are determined by artists and their teams and that additional service charges are determined by the venues.
“Fans are also told that service charges are Ticketmaster’s way of raising ticket prices. In fact, Ticketmaster does not set service charges, venues do, and most of the money goes to the venues,” Wall wrote.
He noted that high ticket prices can also be attributed to supply and demand for live entertainment.
Bloomberg also reported Monday that the Justice Department was preparing to file an antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation, citing three people familiar with the matter.
The Hill has reached out to the Justice Department for comment.
Date: |
Filter
-
Missouri House backs legal shield for weedkiller maker facing thousands of cancer-related lawsuits
The Missouri House has passed legislation that could protect chemical manufacturer Bayer from some lawsuits alleging a popular weedkiller causes cancerABC News - Health -
Missouri House backs legal shield for weedkiller maker facing thousands of cancer-related lawsuits
The Missouri House has passed legislation that could protect chemical manufacturer Bayer from some lawsuits alleging a popular weedkiller causes cancerABC News - Health -
UN report says 282M people faced acute hunger in 2023, with worst famine in Gaza
A new report says nearly 282 million people in 59 countries suffered from acute hunger in 2023, with war-torn Gaza hosting the largest number of people facing famineABC News - Health - United Nations -
UN report says 282M people faced acute hunger in 2023, with worst famine in Gaza
A new report says nearly 282 million people in 59 countries suffered from acute hunger in 2023, with war-torn Gaza hosting the largest number of people facing famineABC News - Health - United Nations -
CPAP Lawsuits Settled for $1.1 Billion
Thousands of people with sleep apnea and other illnesses had sued the company, claiming flawed devices were harming them.The New York Times - Business -
Say goodbye to your iPhone? Maybe, if antitrust regulators have their way
Make no mistake: Enforcing antitrust law and protecting consumers from large companies’ abuses is important. But it must be done carefully.The Hill - Politics -
Warren Buffett's Real-Estate Firm Settles Antitrust Matter for $250 Million
The real-estate industry has now agreed to pay nearly $1 billion to settle anticompetitive allegations.The Wall Street Journal - World -
Warren Buffett's Real-Estate Firm Settles Antitrust Matter for $250 Million
The real-estate industry has now agreed to pay nearly $1 billion to settle anticompetitive allegations.The Wall Street Journal - Business -
Inflation Is Stubborn. Is the Federal Budget Deficit Making It Worse?
Economists are divided over whether the growing amount of federal borrowing is fueling demand and driving up prices.The New York Times - Top stories -
With lawsuits in rearview mirror, Disney World government gets back to being boring
For the first time in more than a year, the monthly board meeting of Walt Disney World’s governing district was back to being what many municipal government forums often are — boringABC News - Entertainment
More from The Hill
-
Speaker Johnson slams reports that ICC is considering arrest warrants for Israeli leaders
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Monday slammed reports that the International Criminal Court (ICC) is planning on issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials. In a statement, Johnson ...The Hill - Politics - Israel -
Bob Bakish steps down as head of Paramount
Bob Bakish is stepping down as head of media conglomerate Paramount, the company announced on Monday. Bakish's resignation comes as the massive legacy media brand is negotiating a potential sale with Skydance after months of fielding offers from ...The Hill - Politics -
Pelosi accuses MSNBC host of being 'apologist for Donald Trump'
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) accused MSNBC's Katy Tur of being an "apologist" for former President Trump on Monday. During an appearance on the network, Pelosi touted President Biden's record on the economy, saying, he "created 9 ...The Hill - Politics - Donald Trump -
Trump-RFK Jr. feud heats up as polls tighten
A fiery battle between former President Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is heating up as polls begin to show that the third-party candidate represents just as much of a threat to the former president as President Biden. “RFK Jr. is a Democrat ...The Hill - Politics - Donald Trump -
AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile hit with $200M FCC fine for sharing user location data without consent
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a fine totaling $200 million to the nation’s four largest mobile carriers after concluding an investigation that found the companies illegally shared access to customers’ location data, the agency ...The Hill - Politics