Justice Department Sues to Break Up Live Nation and Ticketmaster: Report

According to a new report, the US Department of Justice will take legal action to break up Live Nation and Ticketmaster.

The move is part of a new antitrust lawsuit that the Department of Justice is expected to file in New York. The possibility of such legal action has been growing for some time, as federal regulators have been investigating Live Nation since 2022.

Bloomberg was the first to report on the ongoing legal proceedings, officially stating that “The United States Department of Justice, together with a group of states, will sue Live Nation Entertainment Inc. for antitrust violations related to Ticketmaster’s unparalleled control of concert ticket sales.”

Rolling Stone after which they released their own report, adding that “the lawsuit was one of the most anticipated potential legal proceedings in the live music industry.”

What have Live Nation and Ticketmaster been accused of?

Since their merger in 2010, Live Nation and Ticketmaster have been under close scrutiny from fans, regulators and rival companies. Critics argue that the conglomerate’s power makes it virtually impossible for alternative concert promoters and ticketing companies to compete. Others accuse Live Nation of using its power to artificially inflate concert ticket prices.

READ MORE: Senators say Live Nation’s “Trust Us” stance is insufficient

Live Nation has consistently denied antitrust allegations, arguing that artists and venues themselves often influence ticket prices.

“Claims that Live Nation and Ticketmaster ‘keep ticket prices high’ are simply wrong,” Dan Wall, Live Nation’s executive vice president of corporate and regulatory affairs, wrote in an essay earlier this year. “Anyone with a basic understanding of the industry knows this. Those who perpetuate this lie are cynical at best. They do harm to consumers and to rational political discourse.”