Senator Keeps Pushing for Live Nation-Ticketmaster Break Up As States Trial Resumes

Share on Facebook Share on X Google Preferred Share to Flipboard Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Send an Email Print the Article Post a Comment Logo text Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) is urging states to continue in their suit against Live Nation and seek a breakup of Live Nation and Ticketmaster . Blumenthal sent letters to 27 states attorneys Monday, after the Justice Department reached a settlement last week with Live Nation, a few days after the federal antitrust trial had already begun. Forty state attorneys had joined the suit, which accused Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster, of using its positions as the nation’s largest concert promoter, ticket seller and venue owner to undermine competition. Related Stories Music Live Nation Antitrust Trial to Resume Monday as Company Fails to Reach Settlement With States Music Live Nation Employees Boast About "Gouging" Fans With Fees and Parking Costs in Private Exchanges: "Robbing Them Blind, Baby" A handful of states also settled with Live Nation last week, but more than 30 states are pressing forward with the trial in Manhattan on Monday, where the same jury has reconvened to resume proceedings. In addition to the letters commending the states for continuing in litigation, Blumenthal also sent out a report from a years-long investigation from the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which he led. The report claims that Live Nation had more of a hand in driving up ticket prices than it has previously claimed. “Despite the company’s recurrent insistence that decisions about ticket prices and fees are largely out of its hands, Live Nation has exerted its enormous influence over venues and artists to increase fees and ticket prices. Ticketmaster also used its monopolistic dominance in the primary ticketing market, and deceptive marketing practices, in order to drive more tickets in the lucrative secondary market,” ...