Louisiana joins federal lawsuit accusing Live Nation-Ticketmaster of music ticket monopoly

BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — Louisiana has joined 39 other states and the United States Department of Justice in a federal lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment and Ticketmaster who are accused of monopolization.

According to the DOJ, in May 2024, 29 states filed an antitrust lawsuit against Ticketmaster and its extended company, Live Nation Entertainment after being accused of creating a monopoly and committing illegal activities that would prevent competition in live entertainment markets.

Monopolization violates the Sherman Antitrust Act, which was created to protect the competition process for the benefit of consumers.

The entertainment companies are accused of making consumers in the United States pay more for tickets than those in other countries.

“The conduct outlined in our complaint violates the law. Anticompetitive conduct hurts consumers by blocking choices and increasing prices. I look forward to resolving this case in a way that protects the public and Louisianans from such anticompetitive practices in the future,” said Attorney General Liz Murrill in a news release.

According to the complaint, Live Nation is believed to have used the following tactics to maintain power over competition:

• Created a relationship with a competitor, Oak View Group, to persuade artists and venues to sign exclusive agreements with Live Nation-Ticketmaster.
• Threatened financial retaliation against a firm if a subsidiary attempted to advance in the live entertainment industry.
• Locked venues in long-term exclusive contracts that would prevent competition from signing new agreements.
• Restricted artists from using venues under Live Nation’s partnership without signing an agreement to promotional services.

Plaintiffs are seeking structural relief, restoring competition in the live concert industry, providing better choices at lower prices for fans, and opening venue doors for working musicians and other performance artists.

Read Live Nation Entertainment’s statement below.

“There is nothing new in the Amended Complaint – the lawsuit still won’t solve the issues fans care about relating to ticket prices, service fees, and access to in-demand shows. We look forward to sharing more facts as the case progresses.”

Live Nation Entertainment