Will the new occupant of the White House continue the legal effort to shatter the alleged monopoly at the core of live entertainment?
“DOJ’s case against Live Nation stands a good chance of surviving a transition in administration intact,” says Diana Moss of the Progressive Policy Institute. “This contrasts with the other digital tech monopolization cases on deck at the anti-trust agencies. Live Nation’s demonstrated anticompetitive practices present more familiar territory for the courts in terms of bringing strong theory and facts, so a win is likely and that looks good politically.
“Moreover,” Moss continues, “fan and artist outrage over high fees and no choice in ticketing would be hard for any administration to ignore.”
While much of the media coverage of the current election has centered around how divided the country seems in its decision between the dueling candidates, it is apparent that one of the safest bipartisan issues out there is outrage against Ticketmaster and its corporate parent. Attorneys General from 39 states plus the District of Columbia signed on as co-plaintiffs with the Department of Justice in the antitrust case, representing an overwhelming majority of the population, from states as blue as California and red as Mississippi.
