Justice Department Sues Live Nation-Ticketmaster for Monopolizing Markets Across the Live Concert Industry

“We allege that Live Nation relies on unlawful, anticompetitive conduct to exercise its monopolistic control over the live events industry in the United States at the cost of fans, artists, smaller promoters, and venue operators.”

-Attorney General Merrick B. Garland

“The result is that fans pay more in fees, artists have fewer opportunities to play concerts, smaller promoters get squeezed out, and venues have fewer real choices for ticketing services. It is time to break up Live Nation-Ticketmaster.”

-Attorney General Merrick B. Garland

“Today’s announcement reflects the latest efforts by the Justice Department to combat corporate misconduct. Our fight against corporate wrongdoing includes an intense focus on anticompetitive conduct — which disadvantages consumers, workers, and businesses of all kinds.”

-Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco

“Today’s complaint alleges that Live Nation-Ticketmaster have engaged in anticompetitive conduct to cement their dominance of the live concert market and act as the gatekeeper for an entire industry. Today’s action is a step forward in making this era of live music more accessible for the fans, the artists, and the industry that supports them.”

-Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco

“The live music industry in America is broken because Live Nation-Ticketmaster has an illegal monopoly. Our antitrust lawsuit seeks to break up Live Nation-Ticketmaster’s monopoly and restore competition for the benefit of fans and artists.”

-Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division