Michigan joins antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster

(CBS DETROIT) – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced Thursday that she has joined the association federal antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation and its subsidiary Ticketmaster.

The lawsuit, filed by the U.S. Department of Justice in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleged that Live Nation illegally monopolized the live music industry and raised ticket prices. Twenty-nine other states and the District of Columbia also joined the lawsuit.

“Michigan concert-goers deserve the chance to experience the thrill of seeing their favorite artist live, in a venue close to home, without having to break the bank,” Nessel said in a statement. “Unfortunately, this dream is unattainable for many due to Live Nation’s illegal monopoly. A truly competitive market is essential to providing consumers with choice. That’s why I join the Department of Justice and other states in opposing Live Nation’s national practices that limit choice, hinder innovation and unfairly inflate prices.”

The complaint accused the companies of threatening and retaliating against venues that work with rival promoters, locking venues into long-term contracts to prevent them from selecting competing ticket providers, and blocking venues from using multiple tickets.

“Taken individually and collectively, Live Nation and Ticketmaster’s conduct allows them to exploit conflicts of interest – as promoter, ticket seller, venue owner and artist manager – in the live music industry and further entrench their dominant position,” the lawsuit says. .

In response to the lawsuit, Live Nation said the complaint would not reduce ticket prices or service fees.

“The complaint – and even more so the press conference announcing it – seeks to paint Live Nation and Ticketmaster as the causes of fan frustration in the live entertainment industry,” Live Nation said. “Despite acknowledging that ‘the nominal value of tickets is usually set or approved by the artists,’ he blames concert organizers and ticketing companies – neither of which controls ticket prices – for the high ticket prices.”