There’s more trouble for Ticketmaster and its parent company Live Nation as 10 more states have joined the antitrust lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice, 29 states and the District of Columbia in May. The suit accused Ticketmaster of acting as a monopoly and inflating concert ticket prices following outrage by consumers — specifically Taylor Swift fans who had trouble accessing tickets to her Eras tour.
The attorneys generals of Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota, Utah and Vermont joined the case on Monday, Aug. 19, as the DOJ issued an amended complaint with more allegations against the live entertainment companies.
Along with the DOJ’s goals of breaking up Live Nation and Ticketmaster and “restoring competition in the live concert industry,” states are now seeking treble damages for what they say fans were overcharged. With claims being filed under federal anti-monopoly laws, states now have the ability to seek three times the monetary damages.
“It’s time for a new era where fans, venues and artists are not taken advantage of by big corporations that run the world of live events,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in statement.
In the updated complaint, the DOJ used internal Live Nation documents it obtained during the legal process to make its point.
The DOJ said Live Nation owns or controls more than 265 concert venues in North America, and through Ticketmaster, it controls roughly 80% or more of major venues’ primary ticketing for concerts.
The suit said internal Live Nation documents indicated Ticketmaster is the primary ticketer for about 80% of the U.S. arenas that host NBA or NHL teams, adding no other rival ticketed more than 14%.
The DOJ pointed to Ticketmaster’s use of its non-transferrable SafeTix digital tickets technology. The DOJ said internal documents showed Live Nation being able to prevent fans from buying or selling on a rival ticket platform was its “primary motivation” to use this ticketing system.
“Live Nation’s anticompetitive conduct has not only harmed fans in the form of more and higher fees, but also undermines innovation,” the complaint reads. “Competition increases the array and quality of services available and makes it easier for fans to find and see artists they love.”
In response to the amended complaint, a Live Nation spokesperson told Reuters the lawsuit “still won’t solve the issues fans care about relating to ticket prices, service fees, and access to in-demand shows.”
The spokesperson added, “We look forward to sharing more facts as the case progresses.”
