The Department of Justice (DOJ) is preparing to file an antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster as early as Thursday (May 23rd), according to multiple reliable sources including ABC News and CNN.

The lawsuit follows a two-year investigation into alleged monopolistic practices, focusing on Live Nation's exclusive venue contracts and potential anticompetitive behavior. Venues have reported pressure tactics and booking restrictions when not using Ticketmaster services.

The DOJ's action could potentially force the separation of Live Nation and Ticketmaster, which currently control over 70% of the ticketing and live events market. This move comes after previous regulatory issues, including fines in 2019 for violating consent decree terms from their 2010 merger.

Recent scrutiny intensified after the 2022 Taylor Swift Eras Tour ticketing crisis, where system failures left millions of fans unable to purchase tickets. This incident led to congressional hearings where Live Nation president Joe Berchtold faced questioning about market dominance and consumer harm.

In response to growing pressure, Live Nation met with President Biden in June 2023 and implemented "upfront all-in" pricing to improve transparency in ticket fees.

Related Articles

Previous Articles