Justice Dept preparing legal action against Live Nation for ticketing practices

WSJ: Justice Department Preparing Legal Action Against Live Nation for Ticketing Practices
Live Nation allegedly sought to strong-arm concert venues into using its dominant Ticketmaster subsidiary

WSJ News Exclusive | Justice Department Preparing Legal Action Against Live Nation for Ticketing Practices

WASHINGTON—The Justice Department is preparing to take legal action against Live Nation Entertainment Inc. on allegations the company has sought to strong-arm concert venues into using its dominant Ticketmaster subsidiary, according to people familiar with the matter.

The department believes the concert-promotion giant’s conduct has violated the merger settlement Live Nation and Ticketmaster reached with the government in 2010, the people said. Under that agreement, the department’s antitrust division allowed the companies to combine, but required them to abide by conditions designed to keep consumer prices in check by preserving competition in the music and ticketing industries.

As ticket prices have risen, critics have questioned whether the settlement has worked as intended. It is due to expire next year, but the Justice Department now plans to ask a judge to extend the restrictions by several years and prohibit the alleged coercive conduct by Live Nation, the people said.

The Live Nation-Ticketmaster merger consolidated two of the most powerful forces in the music industry. As the world’s largest concert promoter, Live Nation organizes live music events—booking talent, securing venues, setting ticket prices and marketing shows. It has also built a robust artist-management business. ...

The settlement, known as a consent decree, forbids Live Nation from forcing venues that want to book the concert promoter’s tours to use Ticketmaster for those shows, and from retaliating when venues choose to use a ticketing competitor instead.

The deal also required Ticketmaster to license its technology to Anschutz Entertainment Group, the distant No. 2 concert promoter, to build a competitive ticketing platform. That ticketing service, AXS, has had limited success outside of AEG’s own venues. ...

 

This doesn't even move my meter anymore. I've heard SOOO many reports of pending investigations into the Ticketmaster shenanigans over the years and nothing ever seems to come of it. Ticketmaster is Teflon, nothing ever sticks.

 

About 20 years too late. These practices have been helping to kill the music industry (especially live music) for years.
This has been almost as destructive as downloading, piracy & syndicated radio.

 

I long for the days when I could see every concert I wanted. I once saw 3 major acts in one week!