Ticketmaster could face new legal threat this fall, sources say

Source: Politico

Ticketmaster could face new legal threat this fall, sources say

Rivals, lawmakers and music fans are calling for the DOJ to break up the company.

By JOSH SISCO
07/28/2023 03:13 PM EDT

The Justice Department could file an antitrust lawsuit against concert promoter Live Nation Entertainment and its subsidiary Ticketmaster by the end of the year, according to three people with knowledge of the matter.

The DOJ is aiming to file a lawsuit as soon as this fall that claims the entertainment giant is abusing its power over the live music industry, the people said. A case would add to the embattled company’s myriad policy and legal battles, and if successful, could potentially lead to a breakup of the company, POLITICO previously reported.

The timing of any lawsuit is fluid, and no final decision has been made, meaning the department could ultimately decide not to bring a case, cautioned the people who were granted anonymity to discuss a confidential matter. But a potential case against Ticketmaster has been part of recent discussions about upcoming litigation plans in the department’s antitrust division, two of the people said.

The decision on whether to sue Ticketmaster could hinge in part on resource constraints. Antitrust prosecutors already have a busy fall, with trials scheduled to start in September against Google’s search business and in October to block the merger between JetBlue and Spirit Airlines.

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Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2023/07/28/feds-home-in-on-ticketmaster-antitrust-case-00108771