Oregon joins federal antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation, Ticketmaster, claiming public harm | News

Oregon has joined a group of 29 states in a federal lawsuit against Ticketmaster and its owner over an alleged monopoly in the entertainment industry that harms customers.

The 124-page lawsuit, filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in New York by the U.S. Department of Justice, 29 states and the District of Columbia, accuses Ticketmaster and Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. of using their control over artists and venues to stifle innovation and “bend the industry” to their advantage.

Live Nation, which prides itself on being the “world’s largest live entertainment company,” manages 400 musicians and controls 265 properties in North America, including Bend’s Hayden Homes Amphitheater in Oregon. Construction on the Portland facility also began last year.

That control, which covers more than 60 of the top 100 amphitheaters in the U.S., provides broad power, the lawsuit said.

“Control of the venue not only gives Live Nation the ability to dictate whether fans can watch a particular artist they love, but in many cases it also gives Live Nation control over many aspects of concerts and a range of additional revenue streams, ranging from sponsorship of food and beverage sales,” the lawsuit stated.

The lawsuit claims that Live Nation and Ticketmaster used their power to freeze innovation while increasing their profits and harming society.

“As a result, fans pay more in fees, artists have fewer opportunities to play concerts, smaller promoters are squeezed out, and venues have fewer choices in ticket sales,” U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. “It’s time to part ways with Live Nation-Ticketmaster.”

In a statement, Live Nation said the lawsuit would not affect things the public cares about: ticket prices, service fees and access to shows.

“Calling Ticketmaster a monopoly may be a PR victory for the Justice Department in the short term, but it will lose in court because it ignores basic principles of the live entertainment economy, such as the fact that most service fees go to venues and that competition continually erodes the share of market and Ticketmaster’s profit margin. Our growth comes from helping artists tour the world, create lasting memories for millions of fans and support local economies across the country by maintaining high-quality jobs,” the statement read.

He added that he would fight the lawsuit.

“We will defend ourselves against these baseless allegations, use this opportunity to shine a light on the industry, and continue to push for reforms that truly protect consumers and artists.”

Years of complaints about Ticketmaster’s practices came to a head in 2022, when a botched Taylor Swift ticket launch led to a U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing into the company’s role in the ticketing industry, and the U.S. Department of Justice launched an investigation.

The lawsuit calls for restoring competition in the entertainment industry by prohibiting Live Nation from engaging in anticompetitive practices and selling Ticketmaster.

“Restoring competition protects the ability of working artists and fans to meaningfully access and engage with music and each other,” the lawsuit said. “Addressing and stopping anti-competitive behavior is also essential to ensuring the viability of live music.”

Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said the lawsuit is a “big deal” for Oregonians.

“We are joining this lawsuit because Live Nation suppresses innovation, limits consumer choices, inflates prices and charges excessive fees – and we want these practices to end.”

The other attorneys general joining the lawsuit are from: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio , Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

AnneMarie Timmins of the New Hampshire Bulletin contributed to this story.

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