Arizona joins major antitrust lawsuit seeking split between Live Nation and Ticketmaster

PHOENIX — Arizona joined a major multistate lawsuit against Live Nation, the owner of Ticketmaster, alleging the companies monopolized the live entertainment industry by increasing prices paid for shows.

The 29-state (plus Washington D.C.) federal complaint alleges the companies engaged in anti-competitive practices harming consumer, venues and artists.

Specifically, the companies are accused of raising ticket prices, limiting fans’ access to pricing information, maintaining its monopoly through exclusive venue agreements and coercing artists to choose Live Nation as a promoter.

The lawsuits seeks to force Live Nation’s divestiture of Ticketmaster to restore competition and prohibit its anti-competitive actions.

“For years, Live Nation’s anticompetitive and monopolistic practices have resulted in Arizonans paying more to see their favorite artists than they otherwise would have,” Attorney General Kris Mayes said in a press release on Thursday.

“The uncompetitive live entertainment market created by Live Nation has also left artists and venues without really any choice but to use Live Nation. This lack of competition hurts everyone, from fans to performers — and it’s time to hold Live Nation accountable for its violations of the law.”

Arizona joined the U.S. Department of Justice and a bipartisan group of attorneys general from Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming and the federal district, Washington, D.C.

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