Live Nation Found Guilty of Illegal Monopoly, Faces Breakup
A Manhattan jury found Live Nation, parent company of Ticketmaster, guilty of operating as an illegal monopoly and overcharging consumers. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser is leading efforts to break up the company, which controls ticketing, promotion, and venues. Weiser is also involved in a lawsuit challenging an executive order restricting mail-in voting.
Live Nation Found Guilty of Illegal Monopoly
A Manhattan jury has found Live Nation, the parent company of Ticketmaster, guilty of operating as an illegal monopoly. This verdict, reached after four days of deliberations, concludes weeks of antitrust claims.
The jury determined that Ticketmaster overcharged consumers by nearly $2 per ticket. This figure will now be used by the judge to calculate total damages, which could lead to major changes for the company, including a possible breakup of Live Nation and Ticketmaster.
Colorado Leads Fight Against Ticketing Giant
Colorado is among several states that sued to break up Live Nation and Ticketmaster. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, who is also running for governor as a Democratic candidate, expressed his support for the jury’s decision. He highlighted the widespread customer dissatisfaction with the current ticketing system, where fans face numerous fees on top of already expensive ticket prices.
How Live Nation Dominates the Market
Live Nation’s monopolistic behavior extends across three different levels of the market. The company owns Ticketmaster, which is responsible for the high ticketing fees consumers pay. Beyond ticketing, Live Nation also controls concert promotion and owns a significant number of venues.
This control allows Live Nation to stifle competition. For example, if a venue like the Barclays Center in Brooklyn wants to use a different ticketing platform to get better deals for consumers, Live Nation can retaliate.
Evidence presented showed that acts booked at the Barclays Center were later moved to Live Nation-controlled venues after the venue considered using a different ticketing service. This practice harms not only consumers but also artists and independent venues.
“This type of predatory behavior is what a monopolist does who abuses their power, locking up this market and it hurts more than just consumers. Artists have a hard time getting to their fans, venues are also then frustrated. This is not competition.
This is monopolist. That’s why we took action.”
Legal Battle Over Mail-In Voting
In addition to the Live Nation case, Attorney General Weiser is involved in a separate legal matter. He is part of a coalition suing President Trump over an executive order restricting mail-in voting.
Colorado, where Weiser is running for governor, uses mail-in ballots as its standard voting method. The state has high voter turnout and very little fraud, according to Weiser.
Weiser stated that the President’s actions are an attempt to interfere with states’ rights to manage their own elections. He emphasized that Congress has not given the President the power to dictate voting procedures. The coalition is pushing back against what they see as an illegal executive order, committed to protecting democracy and the rule of law.
What’s Next for Live Nation and Voting Rights
The judge’s decision on damages in the Live Nation case is expected to have significant implications for the ticketing industry. Meanwhile, the legal challenge to the executive order on mail-in voting highlights ongoing debates about election integrity and states’ autonomy. Further court rulings will determine the future structure of Live Nation and the accessibility of voting methods nationwide.
Source: 'Monopolist behavior': Colorado AG on taking action against Live Nation and Ticketmaster (YouTube)
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