CHARLESTON — West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey is part of a bipartisan coalition of 29 states and the District of Columbia that has joined a U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment — owner of Ticketmaster — for alleged antitrust violations.
The lawsuit, filed May 23 in federal court in New York, alleges the company has monopolized significant markets of the entertainment industry, thereby stifling competition. It says the merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster in 2010 created a behemoth organization in the live event ticketing market, controlling more than 80 percent of primary ticket sales in the United States.
The investigation involving Live Nation began in 2022, gaining momentum shortly after Ticketmaster crashed during a presale of tickets to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.
Morrisey
| Courtesy photo
“Competition is the driving force in a free market economy, and those who resort to improper means will be held accountable to the full extent of the law,” Morrisey said. “Companies should not resort to sinister schemes to control the market, all the while hurting consumers. Such predatory practices inflate prices and come at a tremendous cost.
“The more choices consumers have the better for them to make informed decisions on which company to use.”
In the lawsuit, the DOJ and the states claim:
* Harmed fans through higher fees and limited the amount of information fans have regarding the ultimate cost to see a show. Fans’ ticketing experience—from buying a ticket to showtime—is also worse than it would be if the industry was competitive.
* Maintained its monopoly in ticketing markets by locking up venues through restrictive long-term, exclusive agreements and threats that venues will lose access to Live Nation-controlled tours and artists if they sign with a rival ticketer.
* Leveraged its extensive network of venues to force artists to select Live Nation as a promoter instead of its rivals, maintaining its promotions monopoly.
The lawsuit asks the court to restore competition in the live entertainment industry by:
*Securing financial compensation for fans who were overcharged by Live Nation, leading them to pay more than they would have in a competitive market for tickets.
* Prohibiting Live Nation from engaging in its anticompetitive practices.
* Ordering Live Nation to divest Ticketmaster.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York case number 1:24-cv-3973