Live Nation and Ticketmaster are under fire once again. On Thursday, a proposed class action lawsuit accused the companies of monopolizing concert promotion and ticketing for major venues, following their 2010 merger. This legal action comes on the heels of the U.S. Department of Justice’s own lawsuit against the merger.
Allegations of Market Domination
According to the complaint filed by Abraham Leifer, Live Nation and Ticketmaster have monopolized three major U.S. markets: concert promotion, primary ticketing services, and secondary ticketing services. The lawsuit, representing potentially millions of ticket buyers, claims this dominance has eliminated significant competition.
Leifer alleges that Live Nation’s market share in major venues exceeds 60%. To maintain this dominance, the company requires venues to sign exclusive agreements, preventing them from using other event promoters. Furthermore, Live Nation controls numerous venues through leaseholds, ownership, or equity interests.
Anticompetitive Practices
