The US Department of Justice sued the owner of TicketMaster

The US regulator has sued Live Nation, accusing the entertainment giant of using illegal tactics to maintain a monopoly in the concert market.

The lawsuit from the Justice Department said the company’s practices drove out competitors and led to higher ticket prices and poorer service for customers.

Attorney General Merrick Garland urged the court to break up the company.

Live Nation said in a statement on its website that the claim that it holds monopoly power is “absurd”.

They said the lawsuit “ignores everything that actually causes higher ticket prices” citing the expansion of online ticketing, artist popularity and higher production costs.

Together with its subsidiary, Ticketmaster, it organizes concerts, sells tickets and owns venues.

According to the lawsuit brought by the federal government’s Department of Justice as well as 30 states, it owns more than 250 venues in the US and manages about 60% of concert promotions at major venues nationwide. country.

The company also operates about 80% of all major entertainment ticket sales through Ticketmaster, the lawsuit said.

They said the company maintained its position by using long-term exclusive contracts, threatening locations that used to employ competitors, acquiring potential competitors and implementing other activities.

“Live Nation controls the live entertainment industry in the United States because it violates the law,” Mr. Garland said.

He added: “It’s time to part ways with the company.”

Live Nation said the lawsuit reflects political pressure and that the White House has moved competition enforcement “to a populist impulse that simply rejects how antitrust law works.”

“Some people call this ‘Antitrust’, but in reality it is just anti-business,” it said.

Live Nation was created by the 2010 merger of US-based event organizer Live Nation and ticketing and distribution company Ticketmaster.

At the time, the DOJ approved the deal despite concerns that it would create a giant capable of dominating the live entertainment industry.

Live Nation Entertainment has faced increasing criticism from fans, lawmakers, artists and competitors.

The company has been accused of having too much influence over live entertainment events in the US and around the world.

The Department of Justice has been investigating Live Nation since 2022, in response to outcry over website errors that many Taylor Swift fans encountered in 2022 when they tried to buy tickets for her US tour.