economy
March 3, 2026
The concert ticket industry is broken,' justice department says as Ticketmaster trial begins
Entertainment giant keeps average of $7.58 of each ticket for events at major concert venues, court hears
TL;DR
- Dozens of states are suing Ticketmaster and Live Nation for alleged illegal monopolies in the concert industry.
- The Department of Justice claims the entertainment conglomerate abuses its market power, harming artists, venues, and fans.
- Ticketmaster allegedly keeps an average of $7.58 per ticket in fees, with fans overpaying an estimated $1.56 to $1.72.
- Live Nation denies being a monopolist and asserts it faces significant competition.
- Testimony is expected from figures like Kid Rock, Ben Lovett, and executives from rival companies and venues.
- The DOJ alleges Live Nation uses threats and exclusive contracts to maintain its dominance in ticketing services.
- A separate case by the FTC accuses Ticketmaster of allowing exploitative ticket resellers.
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