Rhode Island Among 30 States Suing Ticketmaster Parent Company

PROVIDENCE, RI — Rhode Island's attorney general, the U.S. Department of Justice, and 29 other states have filed an antitrust lawsuit against ticket-selling giant Live National Entertainment Inc., officials said Thursday.

The lawsuit claims that Live Nation — which also owns Ticketmaster — has illegally monopolized the live entertainment industry and engaged in anticompetitive conduct to the detriment of artists and their fans, according to officials.

Specifically, the lawsuit claims the company engages in "a series of practices that monopolized and restrained trade in the concert venue, promotion, and ticketing industry in violation of the Sherman Act," officials said.

The lawsuit further alleges that Live Nation has "maintained its anticompetitive monopoly in ticketing markets by locking up venues through restrictive long-term, exclusive agreements and threats that venues will lose access to Live Nation-controlled tours and artists if they sign with a rival ticketer," the DOJ added.

Officials continued: "This conduct has imposed a real cost to Rhode Island concert-goers and musicians. For example, fans have paid more in fees that are not transparent, not negotiable, and cannot be price-shopped while artists have fewer opportunities to play concerts, choose their venues, or to promote their own shows."

Live Nation and Ticketmaster have a substantial presence in Rhode Island. Live Nation’s subsidiary R.I. Waterfront Enterprises LLC is constructing the East Providence Bold Point Park amphitheater, previously scheduled to open this year. It also handles ticketing for the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, the Bally’s Event Center in Lincoln, Foxboro's Gillette Stadium, and the Xfinity Center in Mansfield.

"Creative arts are part of the core of Rhode Island’s identity and one of the backbones of our economy," Attorney General Peter F. Neronha said Thursday. "It is one of my Office's priorities to ensure our local economy is fair for our consumers, workers, and small businesses, and no place is that more important than in our marketplace for culture and live music."

To "restore competition in the live entertainment industry," the lawsuit is asking the court to 'prohibit Live Nation from engaging in its anticompetitive practices, order Live Nation to divest from Ticketmaster, and secure financial compensation for the state of Rhode Island, as well as for fans who were overcharged by Live Nation,' officials said.

Joining Attorney General Neronha in the suit is a bipartisan group of attorneys general from Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.