Nearly 400 Taylor Swift fans and other concertgoers have filed a lawsuit against Ticketmaster and Live Nation in California state court, alleging price gouging and violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.

Photo Credit: Taylor Swift by Paolo Villanueva / CC by 2.0

The lawsuit claims Ticketmaster and Live Nation colluded with stadium venues and partners to create a monopolistic enterprise that unfairly drives up ticket prices. This new case expands on an existing federal lawsuit filed in December 2022 following the problematic Eras Tour ticket sales.

Jennifer Kinder, the plaintiffs' attorney, argues these businesses operate as a cartel, preventing consumers from accessing fairly priced tickets. The legal action coincides with a separate U.S. Department of Justice antitrust lawsuit filed in May seeking to break up Ticketmaster and Live Nation.

Live Nation disputes these claims, stating:

• Ticket prices are set by artist teams, not Ticketmaster
• The company doesn't own U.S. stadiums
• Primary tickets are priced below market value
• Most service fees go to venues
• Competition has reduced Ticketmaster's market share

The federal lawsuit is currently on hold pending an appeal in a separate antitrust case, while the new state lawsuit adds RICO violations and expands to include fans of other artists beyond Taylor Swift.

Related Articles

Previous Articles