Live Nation in antitrust lawsuit filed by Department of Justice.

The U.S. Department of Justice and 30 state and district attorneys general are targeting Live Nation and its wholly owned subsidiary Ticketmaster, alleging “monopolization and other unlawful conduct that frustrates competition in markets throughout the live entertainment industry.”

The civil antitrust lawsuit, filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, seeks to restore competition in the live concert industry, including cheaper tickets for fans. It also seeks to end Live Nation’s exclusive venue agreements, which the government says limit access to venues for working musicians and other performing artists.

“We allege that Live Nation relies on unlawful, anticompetitive conduct to exercise its monopoly control over the U.S. live events industry at the expense of fans, artists, smaller promoters and venue operators,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “As a result, fans pay more in fees, artists have fewer opportunities to play shows, smaller promoters are squeezed out and venues have less real choice in ticketing services. It is time to part ways with Live Nation-Ticketmaster.”

Specifically, the complaint alleges that Live Nation-Ticketmaster is unlawfully exercising its monopoly power in violation of Section 2 of the Sherman Act. The federal government says this action leaves music fans deprived of ticketing innovation and forced to use outdated technology, paying more for tickets than fans in other countries.

Live Nation-Ticketmaster is also accused of exercising anti-competitive power over performers, venues and independent promoters, as well as imposing barriers to competition that limit competitors’ market entry and expansion.

“Today’s announcement reflects the Department of Justice’s latest efforts to combat corporate misconduct,” said Assistant Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Our fight against corporate misconduct includes an intense focus on anti-competitive behavior that harms consumers, workers and businesses of all kinds. Today’s complaint alleges that Live Nation-Ticketmaster engaged in anti-competitive conduct to assert its dominance in the live concert market and serve as a gatekeeper for the entire industry. Today’s action is a step forward in making this era of live music more accessible to fans, artists and the industry that supports them.”

According to a press release from the Department of Justice, Live Nation owns or controls more than 265 concert venues in North America, including more than 60 of the top 100 amphitheaters in the U.S., generating more than $22 billion in annual revenue worldwide from three areas: concerts (e.g. promotions, facility management and production of music festivals), ticket sales (e.g. Ticketmaster activities) as well as sponsorship and advertising.

In a statement, Live Nation called the Justice Department’s allegations “baseless.”

“The Department of Justice’s lawsuit will not solve fans’ concerns about ticket prices, service fees and access to in-demand programming,” it said. “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 market share and Ticketmaster profit margin.”