Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers announced today that the cornhusker state will be joining the U.S. Justice Department’s lawsuit against Live Nation-Ticketmaster for monopolization and other alleged violations of state antitrust laws.
The complaint alleges that Live Nation-Ticketmaster unlawfully exercises its monopoly power in violation of Section 2 of the Sherman Act and the Nebraska Antitrust Laws.
The U.S. Justice Department sued earlier this year to break up Live Nation, arguing the concert promoter and ticket-vendor Ticketmaster illegally inflated concert ticket prices and hurt artists.
“Ticketmaster and Live Nation dominate the market for live entertainment, and Nebraska consumers are frustrated with the extremely high fees charged by these companies. Nebraskans deserve the benefits of robust competition, and we look forward to working with our federal and state enforcement partners to make sure that Ticketmaster and Live Nation follow the law,” said AG Hilgers.
The suit alleges, as a result of their conduct, music fans are deprived of ticketing innovation and forced to use outdated technology while paying more for tickets than fans in other countries. At the same time, Live Nation-Ticketmaster exercises its power over performers, venues, and independent promoters in ways that harm competition. Live Nation-Ticketmaster also imposes barriers to competition that limit the entry and expansion of its rivals.
The lawsuit now involves 40 co-plaintiffs, including the U.S. Department of Justice and a bipartisan coalition of thirty-nine state attorneys general. The Nebraska Department of Justice is asking the court to order Live Nation-Ticketmaster to stop its anticompetitive conduct, pay a civil penalty, and pay the costs and fees for litigating the case.