Government To Sue Ticketmaster, Live Nation

Eras tour fans — Taylor Swift fans are excited during the first night of the Cincinnati stop of the Eras Tour at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Friday, June 30, 2023.

Multiple news outlets are reporting that the U.S. Department of Justice is preparing to sue Ticketmaster and parent company Live Nation Entertainment for breaking antitrust laws.

The lawsuit will accuse Live Nation of using its market-leading position to harm competition for live events.

The news of this lawsuit comes more than one year after U.S. lawmakers held hearings on Capitol Hill to question Live Nation executives, following a huge snafu with the onsale of Taylor Swift’s “Eras” tour in 2022.

Millions of people were shut out of ticket sales and Swift’s fans even sued Live Nation for “unlawful conduct.”

Live Nation and Ticketmaster merged in 2010, creating what they call the “largest live entertainment company in the world.”

President and CFO of Live Nation Joe Berchtold testified at the 2023 hearing that Ticketmaster does not set ticket prices, does not determine the number of tickets to sell, and said venues set service and ticketing fees.

The Justice Department is reportedly planning to file the lawsuit in a matter of weeks.