{"id":2252731,"date":"2024-05-25T12:10:02","date_gmt":"2024-05-25T16:10:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bidens-doj-and-29-states-sue-live-nation-nearly-two-years-after-taylor-swift-ticketmaster-debacle\/"},"modified":"2024-05-25T12:15:08","modified_gmt":"2024-05-25T16:15:08","slug":"bidens-doj-and-29-states-sue-live-nation-nearly-two-years-after-taylor-swift-ticketmaster-debacle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bidens-doj-and-29-states-sue-live-nation-nearly-two-years-after-taylor-swift-ticketmaster-debacle\/","title":{"rendered":"Biden&#8217;s DOJ and 29 States Sue Live Nation Over Ticketmaster Incident"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fbidens-doj-and-29-states-sue-live-nation-nearly-two-years-after-taylor-swift-ticketmaster-debacle%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2252731&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The federal government and 29 states, including the District of Columbia, have filed \u200da \u200clawsuit against Ticketmaster\u2019s parent company,\u200c Live Nation Entertainment,\u2064 over <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/states-push-to-rein-in-big-tech-as-federal-gears-grind-slow\/\" title=\"States Push to Rein in Big Tech as Federal Gears Grind Slow\">alleged monopolistic practices<\/a> in the live \u200bevents industry. The lawsuit \u2063aims for\u2064 the divestiture of Ticketmaster to end Live \u200dNation&#8217;s \u200dmonopoly and its detrimental impact on fans and\u200c artists. The federal government and\u200c 29 states, along with the\u200d District of Columbia, have initiated legal \u200baction against Live Nation Entertainment&#8217;s subsidiary, Ticketmaster, citing monopolistic behavior in the live \u200cevents sector. The lawsuit seeks to separate Ticketmaster \u2063from \u2064Live Nation to break the monopoly\u2064 and mitigate its\u2062 adverse \u2064effects on\u2062 fans \u2062and\u2062 artists.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<header> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/news\/\">  News <\/a>   <span> <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/russdavis\/\">  <\/a> <\/p>\n<p> <span>   By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/russdavis\/%20\"><span>Jack Davis<\/span><\/a> <\/span> <span>   May 25, 2024 at 8:19am <\/span> <\/span>  <\/header>\n<section>\n<p>Almost two years after demand for Taylor Swift tickets led to mayhem on Ticketmaster and anger among a horde of Swifties, the federal government has filed a lawsuit against Ticketmaster\u2019s parent company.<\/p>\n<p>On Thursday, the Department of Justice, joined by 29 states and the District of Columbia, sued Ticketmaster owner Live Nation Entertainment, calling it a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/ap-swifties-politicized-ticketmaster-fiasco-sees-swift-fans-politically-mobilizing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">monopoly<\/a> on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrat-lawmakers-trying-to-shutdown-oan-how-to-help\/\" title=\"Democrat Lawmakers Trying to Shutdown OAN \u2013 HOW TO HELP\">live events<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The suit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, calls for \u201cthe divestiture of, at minimum, Ticketmaster,\u201d according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/05\/23\/technology\/ticketmaster-live-nation-lawsuit-antitrust.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The New York Times<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is time for fans and artists to stop paying the price for Live Nation\u2019s monopoly,\u201d Attorney General Merrick Garland said. \u201cIt is time to break up Live Nation-Ticketmaster. The American people are ready for it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLive Nation has its tentacles in virtually every aspect of the live entertainment industry,\u201d the federal government said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/atr\/media\/1353101\/dl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">complaint<\/a>, which runs over 120 pages.<\/p>\n<p>Ticketmaster became the target of Swift fans in November 2022, when the demand for tickets overloaded the company\u2019s system, with some fans dropping from ticket queues while others found that bots had beaten them to the scarce tickets.<\/p>\n<p>In reporting on the lawsuit, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-features\/live-nation-antitrust-suit-takeaways-doj-complaint-1235026841\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rolling Stone<\/a> has honed in on fees consumers pay, citing sections of the complaint that said \u00a0\u201cintermediaries\u201d who benefit from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/watch-democratic-senators-taylor-swift-joke-falls-flat-ticketmaster-site-crash-hearing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">fees<\/a>, such as concert venues and promoters, \u201care often Live Nation-owned entities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As the money flows, \u201ca significant proportion of the venue\u2019s share\u201d in the ticket fee is \u201coften passed onto promoters, like Live Nation, to incentivize them to steer content to their venue,\u201d the government\u2019s complaint said.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">The Justice Department\u2019s antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster comes after the company mishandled ticket sales for Taylor Swift\u2019s Eras Tour two years ago. Millions of people were unable to buy tickets. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/fM2MpRHy90\">https:\/\/t.co\/fM2MpRHy90<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/bbwJV4IGDQ\">pic.twitter.com\/bbwJV4IGDQ<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 The Recount (@therecount) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/therecount\/status\/1793705001598230607?\">May 23, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div id=\"firefly-poll-container\">\n<p>Is this lawsuit necessary?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cIn other words, Live Nation\u2019s various contracts operate together to drive up the overall number and size of fees paid by fans.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Rolling Stone noted one piece of the complaint that cited a \u201cticketing\u201d fee that allegedly enables Ticketmaster to take in more money when venues \u201cincrease their own fees to offset Live Nation\u2019s concert promotion charges.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Calling this practice a \u201cdouble dip,\u201d the government complaint said it \u201cmeans venues have to raise fan-paid fees just to offset Live Nation\u2019s promotion charges.\u00a0For example, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/country-music-star-john-rich-celebrates-court-victory-concert-venues-covid-restrictions-never-bent-knee\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">venue<\/a> forced to pay Live Nation a $5 promotions rebate and Ticketmaster a portion of any increased fees would need to raise fees on fans by significantly more than $5 to break even.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">The DOJ is suing to break up Live Nation, parent of Ticketmaster, over <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/amazon-makes-foray-into-health-care\/\" title=\"Amazon Makes Foray Into Health Care\">alleged antitrust violations<\/a>. Proving definitively that our federal government cares more about fair and cost effective access to Taylor Swift tickets than prescription drugs.<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/PBMreform?src=hash&#038;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#PBMreform<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Shane Jerominski (@AccPharmacist) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AccPharmacist\/status\/1794013930047824220?\">May 24, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Live Nation rakes in $22 billion a year in revenue through the more than 265 concert venues it owns or controls in North America, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/news\/politics\/2024\/05\/23\/justice-department-doj-lawsuit-live-nation-ticketmaster\/73816294007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">USA Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The lawsuit said through such things as its fees, which it calls \u201cessentially a \u2018Ticketmaster Tax\u2019 that ultimately raise the price fans pay,\u201d fans, artists, small promoters and venue operators all lose.<\/p>\n<p>In one example, fees for a 2022 Red Hot Chili Peppers show in Charlotte, North Carolina, added 36 percent to the $81.50 cost of a ticket.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSince Ticketmaster\u2019s Taylor Swift ticketing debacle in 2022, my AG colleagues and I have relentlessly sought justice for Americans wanting to attend concerts without having their pocketbooks pillaged by Live Nation\u2019s monopoly,\u201d Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said in a statement, per USA Today.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/bruce-springsteen-just-nods-silence-obama-calls-fans-vile-racists\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bruce Springsteen<\/a>, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters and Garth Brooks also have criticized Ticketmaster.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">i guess the gov is filing a antitrust against <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/netflix-viacom-amazon-george-clooney-sign-letter-opposing-voter-integrity-laws\/\" title=\"Netflix, Viacom, Amazon, George Clooney Sign Letter Opposing Voter Integrity Laws\">live nation<\/a>, thanks taylor swift now i wont be able to buy tickets at a 1500% increase. LMAO <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ZdfOa0VZRj\">pic.twitter.com\/ZdfOa0VZRj<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Nate on X (@theanimatednate) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/theanimatednate\/status\/1793661025524613327?\">May 23, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The federal government\u2019s lawsuit reflects the bipartisan disgust with Live Nation shown at a January 2023 congressional hearing on the subject.<\/p>\n<p>Sen. John Kennedy, a Republican from Louisiana, was even more blunt.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe way your company handled the ticket sales with Ms. Swift was a debacle,\u201d Kennedy said, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2023\/01\/24\/arts\/music\/ticketmaster-taylor-swift-senate-hearing.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The New York Times<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri noted <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/democrat-governor-signs-taylor-swift-bill-law-adding-new-regulations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ticketmaster\u2019s tentacles<\/a> are in the resale market as well \u201cwhere you\u2019re forcing everyone in the resale market to come into your ecosystem.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is how monopolies work. You leverage market power in one market to get market power in another market \u2014 and it looks like you\u2019re doing that in, frankly, multiple markets,\u201d Hawley said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is all the definition of monopoly,\u201d Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota said. \u201cLive Nation is so powerful that it doesn\u2019t even need to exert pressure. It doesn\u2019t need to threaten. Because people just fall in line.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut noted to Live Nation executive Joe Berchtold that disgust with Live Nation created a rare phenomenon.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI want to congratulate and thank you for an absolutely stunning achievement,\u201d Blumenthal said. \u201cYou have brought together Republicans and Democrats in an absolutely unified cause.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>______________________________________________<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><b data-stringify-type=\"bold\"><i data-stringify-type=\"italic\">An Important Message from Our Staff:<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p><i data-stringify-type=\"italic\">In just a few months, the world is going to change forever. 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Since then, he has written extensively for The Western Journal on the Trump administration as well as foreign policy and military issues.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>  Jack Davis is a freelance writer who joined The Western Journal in July 2015 and chronicled the campaign that saw President Donald Trump elected. Since then, he has written extensively for The Western Journal on the Trump administration as well as foreign policy and military issues. <br \/> Jack can be reached at jackwritings1@gmail.com. <\/p>\n<p>  Location <\/p>\n<p>  New York City <\/p>\n<p>  Languages Spoken <\/p>\n<p>  English <\/p>\n<p>  Topics of Expertise <\/p>\n<p>  Politics, Foreign Policy, Military &#038; Defense Issues <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Almost two years post-Taylor Swift Ticketmaster chaos, the DOJ, with 29 states, sues the parent company over ticket uproar<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":661,"featured_media":2252732,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Untitled-design-2024-05-25T104838.768.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2252731","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Untitled-design-2024-05-25T104838.768.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2252731","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/661"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2252731"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2252731\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2252732"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2252731"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2252731"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2252731"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}