Judge rejects Live Nation bid to toss feds’ lawsuit alleging…
A federal choose on Wednesday rejected Live Nation Entertainment’s bid to dismiss a lawsuit by the federal authorities and many states accusing the company of illegally making an attempt to dominate the live live performance trade.
The choice by US District Judge Arun Subramanian cleared the means for a potential antitrust trial in Manhattan federal courtroom, with jury choice scheduled to start on March 2.
“There is a genuine dispute of material fact as to whether Live Nation has used monopoly power to foreclose competition,” Subramanian wrote.
Fans and politicians intensified their calls for after Ticketmaster subjected Taylor Swift followers to high costs and hours-long on-line queues for her 2022 “Eras” tour. / SplashNews.com
Live Nation and its legal professionals didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
Shares of the Beverly Hills, Calif.-based company fell more than 7% in after-hours buying and selling shortly after the choice, before recovering those losses.
The May 2024 lawsuit by the Department of Justice, 39 states and Washington, DC, accused Live Nation of monopolizing markets for ticketing, concert-booking, venues and promotions, harming followers in addition to performers.
Fans and politicians had lengthy urged regulators to re-examine Live Nation’s 2010 buy of Ticketmaster.
A 2024 lawsuit by the Department of Justice, 39 states and Washington, DC, accused Live Nation of monopolizing markets for ticketing, concert-booking, venues and promotions, harming followers in addition to performers. REUTERS
They intensified their calls for after Ticketmaster subjected Taylor Swift followers to high costs and hours-long on-line queues for her 2022 “Eras” tour.
Subramanian said the authorities plaintiffs can strive to show that Live Nation improperly tied use of its amphitheaters to live performance promotion providers, and illegally dominated the marketplace for ticketing providers to major live performance venues.
The choose also said states can strive to search damages for ticket-buying followers, saying it was “reasonably foreseeable” that followers may need been harmed and that Live Nation’s antitrust-injury challenge “falls flat.”
Subramanian dismissed other claims, including that Live Nation monopolized live performance promotions and concert-booking providers at major venues.
In in search of a dismissal, Live Nation denied exercising monopoly energy and said there was no proof its conduct harmed “consumer welfare,” such as by elevating costs or lowering high quality. It also said states lacked authorized authority to sue on behalf of followers.
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