Consumer Suit Against Live Nation and Ticketmaster to Proceed Alongside US Antitrust Case

A federal judge has ruled that a consumer lawsuit accusing Live Nation Entertainment Inc. and its subsidiary Ticketmaster of inflating ticket prices will continue alongside an ongoing antitrust case filed by the U.S. government and dozens of states. The decision marks a significant step forward in a legal battle that could reshape the concert ticketing industry.

U.S. District Judge George Wu in Los Angeles rejected Live Nation’s request to pause the proposed class-action lawsuit while the government pursues its case in federal court in Manhattan. According to Reuters, the consumer lawsuit, filed in January 2022, seeks monetary damages on behalf of millions of original and resale ticket purchasers who claim the company has created unfair barriers to competition in live event ticketing.

The government’s antitrust lawsuit, brought by the U.S. Department of Justice and 39 states in May, aims to break up Live Nation and Ticketmaster over concerns that the company wields too much power in the ticketing market. Both lawsuits allege that Live Nation engages in anti-competitive practices through exclusive deals with venues and other restrictive arrangements.

Read more: Federal Judge Keeps Antitrust Case Against Live Nation in New York, Rejecting Venue Change

Live Nation argued that proceeding with both lawsuits at once would waste resources and could result in conflicting rulings. However, per Reuters, Judge Wu dismissed these concerns, noting that the company’s own legal tactics had contributed to delays in the consumer case.

In his ruling, Wu criticized Live Nation for attempting to force the consumer claims into private arbitration, which would have kept the case out of the courts. The company’s push for arbitration was rejected by a U.S. appeals court in October.

“The only reason why this case has not progressed further is because defendants sought to enforce extremely unconscionable arbitration terms,” Wu wrote in his order, according to Reuters.

The consumer case represents a proposed nationwide class action that could encompass millions of ticket buyers. The government lawsuit, meanwhile, is slated for trial in 2026.

Live Nation has denied any wrongdoing in both cases. The company insists that its practices are lawful and that it remains committed to providing fair access to live event tickets. However, consumer advocates and government officials argue that the company’s control over ticketing services has driven up prices and stifled competition.

Source: Reuters