U.S. regulators have sued Live Nation, accusing the entertainment giant of using illegal means to maintain its monopoly on the concert market.
The DOJ lawsuit alleges that the company’s practices locked out competitors and resulted in higher fares and worse customer service.
Attorney General Merrick Garland called on the courts to break up the company.
Live Nation said in a statement on its website that claims it had monopoly power were “ridiculous.”
The company said the lawsuit “ignores all the factors that actually lead to higher ticket prices,” citing online ticket reselling, artist popularity and higher production costs.
Together with its subsidiary Ticketmaster, it presents concerts, sells tickets and owns venues.
The company owns more than 250 venues in the United States and manages about 60 percent of concert promotions at major venues across the country, according to a lawsuit filed by the federal Justice Department and 30 states.
The company also operates about 80% of major entertainment ticket sales through Ticketmaster, the lawsuit said.
The company said it maintains its position by using exclusive long-term contracts, threatening to use competitors’ venues, acquiring potential competitors and deploying other practices.
“Live Nation controls the live entertainment industry in America because it violates the law,” Garland said.
“It’s time for the company to dissolve,” he added.
Live Nation said the lawsuit reflected political pressure and the White House’s shift in competition enforcement toward “populist impulses and a fundamental rejection of how antitrust laws work.”
“Some call it ‘antitrust,’ but really it’s just anti-business,” it said.
Live Nation was formed in 2010 through the merger of US event promoter Live Nation and ticket sales and distribution company Ticketmaster.
At the time, the Justice Department approved the deal despite concerns it would create a giant capable of dominating the live entertainment industry.
Live Nation Entertainment faces mounting criticism from fans, lawmakers, artists and competitors.
The company has been accused of having an outsized influence on live entertainment in the United States and around the world.
The Justice Department has been investigating Live Nation since 2022, following an outcry when many Taylor Swift fans encountered website glitches when trying to purchase tickets for her U.S. tour in 2022.