Democratic Senators Richard Blumenthal and Amy Klobuchar, both active in antitrust, wrote to the US Justice Department on Tuesday to urge officials to investigate potential anti-competitive actions by Live Nation’s Ticketmaster, reported Reuters.
The lawmakers cited the company’s previous violation of an agreement with the Justice Department that allowed the controversial merger of Ticketmaster and Live Nation in 2010. That was settled with Live Nation agreeing to refrain from retaliating against venues that do not use its Ticketmaster service for every event.
The lawmakers asked the department to assess Live Nation’s compliance with the updated consent decree.
“As live events continue to open up, American consumers are confronting skyrocketing ticket prices, opaque terms, and exorbitant fees. Yet live entertainment markets, especially ticket markets, are dominated by one corporation, Live Nation, which cemented its dominance through its 2010 merger with Ticketmaster,” they wrote to Jonathan Kanter, head of the Justice Department Antitrust Division.
The letter noted with dismay that Live Nation had an “aggressive acquisition strategy” that included its purchase of Rival, a ticketing startup designed to compete with Ticketmaster.
“We are deeply concerned that the Department’s past enforcement and negotiated remedies in this industry have failed to adequately foster and protect competition in live entertainment and ticketing markets,” they wrote.
Featured News
Judge Mehta Questions Both Sides in Landmark Google Antitrust Case
May 2, 2024 by
CPI
FCC Urges Urgent Funding for Removal of Chinese Telecom Equipment from U.S. Networks
May 2, 2024 by
CPI
Former Pioneer CEO Facing Potential Criminal Charges For Colluding With OPEC
May 2, 2024 by
CPI
South Korea’s Antitrust Regulator Greenlights K-Pop Powerhouse Deal
May 2, 2024 by
CPI
Exxon’s Pioneer Purchase Approved, Former CEO Barred from Board
May 2, 2024 by
CPI
Antitrust Mix by CPI
Antitrust Chronicle® – Economics of Criminal Antitrust
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
Navigating Economic Expert Work in Criminal Antitrust Litigation
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
The Increased Importance of Economics in Cartel Cases
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
A Law and Economics Analysis of the Antitrust Treatment of Physician Collective Price Agreements
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
Information Exchange In Criminal Antitrust Cases: How Economic Testimony Can Tip The Scales
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI