After a yearlong investigation, the Department of Justice announced it has filed a lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster for breaking antitrust laws.
The event sales company stands accused of violating Section 2 of the Sherman Act, due to allegations of acquiring competing event promoters and forcing venues and artists alike into exclusionary contracts for as long as 10 years in some cases. Attorney General Merrick Garland claimed it controls 80% of ticket sales to major concert venues, has contracts with 400 entertainers, and owns or controls 60% of amphitheaters. As a result, Garland said, “It is time to break it up.”
“We allege that Live Nation relies on unlawful, anticompetitive conduct to exercise its monopolistic control over the live events industry in the United States at the cost of fans,
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