TN one of 30 states joining DOJ in Live Nation Entertainment lawsuit
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – Tennessee is one of 30 states that joined the Department of Justice (DOJ) in suing Ticketmaster and their parent company, Live Nation.
The lawsuit accuses them of holding live music hostage as a monopoly and breaking anti-trust laws.
Beyonce’s Renaissance World Tour and Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour had fans in a whirlwind. Some fans told News 2 they either paid excessive prices or dealt with ongoing technical issues. Those issues left many fans and even state attorney generals questioning business practices of large ticket marketplaces, like Ticketmaster and Live Nation.
The Justice Department is suing Ticketmaster and Live Nation. What does that mean for concertgoers?
“There’s a lot of people that would love to take that market share, but they don’t have the resources like a huge company like Live Nation,” music industry veteran Dan Dugan said.
Dugan has spent 20 years in the music industry and agrees with the DOJ’s view on Live Nation’s alleged power hold on live music. He stressed that he is not against Ticketmaster or Live Nation, but said changes need to be made.
Tennessee legislators have continued to look at junk fees that are added to every ticket and led to heartache for some buyers. Dugan told News 2 Live Nation takes out fees for every ticket sold, so by the time an artist receives their cut, it’s dwindled down.
“I would love to see Live Nation and their managing their venues and the ticketing services be completely separate,” Dugan said.
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“Since Ticketmaster’s Taylor Swift ticketing debacle in 2022, my AG colleagues and I have relentlessly sought justice for Americans wanting to attend concerts without having their pocketbooks pillaged by Live Nation’s monopoly,” Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said in a news release after the lawsuit was filed. “I will continue to fight on behalf of the artists, venues, and concertgoers in Tennessee, and I am glad to partner with the DOJ in the bipartisan effort to break up the Live Nation/Ticketmaster monopoly.”
Live Nation also released a statement about the DOJ’s lawsuit:
The DOJ’s lawsuit won’t solve the issues fans care about relating to ticket prices, service fees, and access to in-demand shows. Calling Ticketmaster a monopoly may be a PR win for the DOJ in the short term, but it will lose in court because it ignores the basic economics of live entertainment, such as the fact that the bulk of service fees go to venues, and that competition has steadily eroded Ticketmaster’s market share and profit margin. Our growth comes from helping artists tour globally, creating lasting memories for millions of fans, and supporting local economies across the country by sustaining quality jobs. We will defend against these baseless allegations, use this opportunity to shed light on the industry, and continue to push for reforms that truly protect consumers and artists.
The company also said Ticketmaster’s market share has declined since 2010 and the lawsuit distracts from real solutions that would decrease prices and protect fans, like letting artists cap resale prices.
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