United States files antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation

We alleged that Live Nation had illegally monopolized the concert industry markets in the United States for too long. It’s time to break this down. This morning, the Department of Justice, joined by 29 states and the District of Columbia, sued Live Nation Entertainment and its wholly owned subsidiary, Ticketmaster, for violating the Sherman Antitrust Act. In recent years, Live Nation-Ticketmaster’s exorbitant fees and technological failures have been criticized by fans and artists alike. However, we are not here today because Live Nation-Ticketmaster’s behavior is inconvenient or frustrating. We are here because we argue that such behavior is anti-competitive and illegal. Our complaint makes clear what happens when a monopolist devotes its resources to strengthening its monopoly position and isolating itself from competition, rather than investing in better products and services.