The Department of Justice is expected to sue Live Nation today over antitrust violations as the company faces scrutiny after a string of controversies, including preventing millions of fans from purchasing tickets to Taylor Swift’s Eras tour

The lawsuit is expected to be filed today in the Southern District of New York

It has emerged that Live Nation Entertainment will be hit with an antitrust lawsuit today over Ticketmaster’s dominance in concert ticket sales.

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) and a group of states are expected to file a lawsuit against the entertainment giant today, potentially seeking a breakup, in federal court in New York.

The lawsuit is expected to allege that Live Nation’s 2010 merger with Ticketmaster “eliminated competition” and “diluted customer choice,” which in turn caused concert ticket prices to increase, a source told CBS News.

Concertgoers and politicians alike have called for the Live Nation and Ticketmaster merger to be reconsidered, especially after failed ticket sales for Taylor Swift’s tour.

The legal action also highlights the aggressive approach that President Joe Biden’s antitrust enforcers have taken in trying to create more competition in a wide variety of industries, from Big Tech to health care to grocery.

The U.S. Department of Justice and a group of states today intend to sue Live Nation Entertainment over antitrust violations, potentially seeking a breakup

Concert fans and politicians have been calling for years to reconsider the 2010 merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster, especially after ticket sales for the US leg of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour failed. Pictured: Fans attend the Eras Tour at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles in 2023

Live Nation has come under fire in 2022 after Ticketmaster improperly sold tickets to Swift’s 2023 tour.

Ticketmaster was overwhelmed, canceled some sales plans and sent potential buyers to online queues for up to eight hours.

Some Swifties – a term used to describe the singer’s fans – claimed Ticketmaster repeatedly dropped them while they waited to purchase.

The site has complained about being targeted by bots and scalpers, but concert-goers have also complained about high prices and poor service.

Last year, during a hearing called after the ticket sales fiasco, U.S. senators sharply criticized Live Nation’s lack of transparency and inability to block bots from purchasing tickets.

In the lawsuit, scheduled to be filed Thursday in the Southern District of New York, the Justice Department has options ranging from ordering the company to stop its illegal behavior, a common request, to asking a court to resolve the case, which is rare.

Live Nation came under fire in 2022 after Ticketmaster improperly sold tickets for Swift’s 2023 tour. Ticketmaster was overwhelmed, canceled some sales plans and sent potential buyers to online queues for up to eight hours

The lawsuit came after the Justice Department approved Ticketmaster’s controversial merger with Live Nation in 2010, setting conditions intended to keep the combined company from harming competition.

In 2020, the court extended most of its oversight of the merger through 2025 because, the department said, Ticketmaster retaliated against stadiums and arenas that chose to use other ticketing companies.

Live Nation did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In the past, the company has expressed confidence that its business practices are lawful, and the investigation was initiated following complaints from competitors, including resellers.

Live Nation shares fell 7 percent in after-hours trading.

DailyMail.com has also reached out to the Department of Justice for comment.