The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is preparing to file an antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation, the parent company of Ticketmaster, according to anonymous sources. The lawsuit, which could be filed as early as today, is expected to allege that Live Nation has used its position as a concert promoter, ticket seller, and venue owner to edge out competitors, leading to less consumer choice and higher prices.
The DOJ's case against Live Nation is one of the most significant competition cases brought under President Biden's administration, which has pledged to aggressively enforce the nation's antitrust laws. This follows similar antitrust charges against tech giants such as Apple, Amazon, and Google in recent years.
The lawsuit is expected to be filed in a New York federal court, with several state attorneys general joining the case. The investigation into Live Nation's practices gained public interest after Ticketmaster mishandled sales for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in 2022, sparking widespread outcry.
Live Nation, which promotes concerts, manages artists, owns performance venues, and sells and resells tickets for concerts, sports games, and other events, sold an estimated 620 million tickets globally last year. The company was allowed to acquire Ticketmaster in 2010 under the condition that it would not retaliate against venues that chose not to use its platform. However, the company was later found to have violated this order, leading to an extended agreement to monitor Live Nation in 2019.