Live Nation

The 2010 merger has been subject to scrutiny for allegedly leading to higher ticket prices and claims that Live Nation Entertainment is abusing its market ...

By allowing scalpers to buy up the majority of tickets, Ticketmaster can essentially assess a second fee on consumers who missed out on the initial sale of concert tickets. The agency, in turn, threatened to assess monetary penalties for additional violations and installed a monitor tasked with investigating further breaches of the consent decree, which was extended until 2025. “If a venue opts not to use those services, Live Nation retaliates by effectively boycotting the venue. (The American Economic Liberties Project’s petition is The American Economic Liberties Project argues that Live Nation is violating the consent decree. They required Ticketmaster to sell its ticketing service subsidiary, Paciolan, to Comcast and to license its ticketing software to Live Nation’s rival, AEG. “Ticketmaster’s market power over live events is ripping off sports and music fans and undermining the vibrancy and independence of the music industry,” said Sarah Miller, executive director of the American Economic Liberties Project. “Live Nation essentially uses its concert promotion services to bully venues away from using the few competitors that Ticketmaster still has,” states an analysis from the group. [Ticketmaster](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/t/ticketmaster-2/) and Live Nation for allegedly price gouging customers in addition to strong-arming artists and venues into accepting unfavorable conditions. We will continue working to improve the industry.” The merger was met with pushback. Antitrust regulators approved the deal with certain conditions.