Featured Image: Matthew Kalapuch on Unsplash
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has reportedly sent out new information requests as part of its antitrust probe of Live Nation-owned Ticketmaster.
Bloomberg News reported earlier this week that the new requests were sent out after concerns were raised that the two were not cooperating. The news platform cited sources close to the matter.
Two of the sources told Bloomberg that the Justice Department had aimed to finalise a complaint against Ticketmaster at the end of last year, but instead chose to continue its investigation and potentially file a case later this year.
Concert promoter Live Nation and Ticketmaster merged in 2010 with certain conditions in place, and some lawmakers and antitrust advocates have pushed for the DOJ to break up the company. In 2019, the DOJ found that Live Nation had breached its settlement, and forced the group to agree to new terms.
Following the events around the Taylor Swift Eras Tour presale, Live Nation and Ticketmaster were the subject of a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in January last year.
In November, Live Nation and Ticketmaster were issued with a subpoena for documents regarding ticket pricing, fees and secondary sales, as part of the DOJ’s investigations. At the time, US Senator Richard Blumenthal said: “Live Nation has egregiously stonewalled my Subcommittee’s inquiry into its abusive consumer practices – making the subpoena necessary.”
Share this