Live Nation and Ticketmaster have reached a settlement in a U.S. antitrust case over their dominance in live events and ticket sales. The deal includes loosening exclusive venue contracts, letting rival ticket sellers access more shows, and capping some service fees. Under the tentative deal, the company also agreed to pay a large sum (about $280 million if all states join).
While the case is in the U.S., it could impact Canadian fans too. Ticketmaster and Live Nation run major events across Canada, and high service fees have already sparked legal challenges here, like a class action in Quebec. If ticketing becomes more competitive in the U.S., it could push for better options and lower fees for concert-goers north of the border as well.
To add…
Internal Slack messages from employees at Live Nation Entertainment were recently unsealed as part of an antitrust lawsuit involving the company and its ticketing arm, Ticketmaster.
The messages show employees joking privately about the high fees attached to concert tickets, including VIP upgrades and parking. In some exchanges, staff mocked how much fans were willing to pay, with one employee even calling customers “stupid” while suggesting fans were essentially being “robbed.”
Government lawyers say the messages help show how Live Nation’s dominance in the live entertainment industry allows it to charge excessive fees. The company says the comments were simply private jokes between coworkers and don’t reflect its policies.
A judge will now decide if the messages can be used as evidence in the larger case examining whether Live Nation has too much control over the concert ticket market.
The story isn’t over, though. Some U.S. states are still pushing back, and Canadian regulators are watching closely.
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