The Justice Department is suing Ticketmaster and Live Nation. What does that mean for concertgoers?

Will the Justice Department’s lawsuit against Ticketmaster and Live Nation give concertgoers, sports fans, and theater patrons some relief from surging ticket prices? The lawsuit could potentially lead to a breakup of Live Nation Entertainment, a company that resulted from Ticketmaster’s 2010 merger with concert promoter Live Nation. Attorney General Merrick Garland said the aim is to allow more competition and to let smaller players gain more of the U.S. ticket-selling market—of which Ticketmaster controls a whopping 70%. More competition could lead to cheaper tickets. But experts say live event lovers shouldn’t expect changes any time soon. The Justice Department on May 23 accused Live Nation of engaging in a slew of practices that have allowed it to maintain a stronghold over the live music scene. They accused it of using long-term contracts to keep venues from choosing rival ticketers, blocking venues from using multiple ticket sellers, and threatening venues that they could lose money and fans if they don’t choose Ticketmaster. The uproar that resulted from a myriad of problems Swifties encountered while trying to buy tickets through Ticketmaster for the pop star’s Eras Tour in 2022 shined a light on cracks in the U.S. ticketing system. State attorneys general—30 of whom have joined the Justice Department’s lawsuit—started probing Ticketmaster. The widespread social media outcry even led to a Senate hearing. Ticket prices have gone up for multiple reasons, including a huge surge in demand after the COVID-19 pandemic. And as anyone who has tried to score tickets to a popular event knows, service fees and ticket resales can push prices up much higher, in some cases into the thousands of dollars. The Justice Department’s lawsuit alleges that having a giant company like Live Nation Entertainment exacerbates markups since it controls so much of the market. Live Nation and Ticketmaster, which have long clashed with artists and fans, have always denied they act in a monopolistic manner. They say service fees go to concert venues and that outside competition has “steadily eroded” Ticketmaster’s market share. This article was provided by The Associated Press.