photo by Jeffrey Morris
From DC’s Office of the Attorney General (OAG):
“Following DOJ Settlement, Bipartisan 27-AG Coalition Will Keep Fighting to Restore Fair Competition to Live Music Marketplace
Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb released the following statement regarding the ongoing antitrust case against Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster, for illegally monopolizing the live entertainment industry and concert ticketing services:
“DC’s live entertainment scene is vital to our local economy and culture, and the recently announced settlement is simply not adequate,” said Attorney General Schwalb. “Live Nation has raked in billions from an illegal monopoly that stifles artists, harms venues, and makes it harder for fans to see the performers they love. We will continue fighting to hold Live Nation accountable and restore competition to the live entertainment industry.”
Background on Lawsuit
In May 2024, a bipartisan group of state attorneys general joined the U.S. Department of Justice to sue Live Nation for monopolizing the market for ticketing and using its monopoly power in the concert venue market to reinforce and protect that monopoly.
The District is home to more than 20 music venues of varying sizes, from Capital One Arena, which can fit more than 20,000 fans, to more intimate venues. Ticketmaster sales data for recent years show the District had far higher per capita Ticketmaster ticket sales than any state. Live Nation controls two of the most important parts of the live entertainment industry at District concert venues: ticketing and artists. Live Nation is the exclusive ticketer to nearly all sizable venues in DC. Live Nation is the dominant content provider to those venues because its monopoly of concert promotions means neither artists nor venues have comparable, competitive alternatives to Live Nation. That means for most shows at major concert venues in and around the District, Live Nation’s misconduct results in fans paying more to see the show.
The original lawsuit asked the court to restore competition to the live entertainment industry by:
-
- Securing financial compensation for the District, as well as for fans who were overcharged by Live Nation, leading them to pay more than they would have in a competitive market for tickets.
- Prohibiting Live Nation from engaging in its anticompetitive practices.
- Ordering Live Nation to divest Ticketmaster.
Joining Attorney General Schwalb in continuing the lawsuit against Live Nation are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
The coalition’s motion for a mistrial so that the states can have a fair trial to challenge Live Nation’s conduct is available here.
OAG’s Antitrust Enforcement Actions
OAG has a long record of holding companies accountable for antitrust violations that harm District consumers. OAG sued RealPage and 14 of the largest residential landlords in the District for colluding to illegally raise rents for tens of thousands of DC residents, and has also opposed anticompetitive mergers such as those between Kroger and Albertsons, JetBlue and Spirit, Anthem and Cigna, Staples and Office Depot, and fantasy sports sites DraftKings and FanDuel.”