Klobuchar Statement on Justice Department Settlement with Live Nation

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law, released the following statement on the Department of Justice's settlement announcement with Live Nation:

"Given Live Nation-Ticketmaster's monopoly dominance in ticketing, venues, and promotion, the only way to make live events truly affordable and competitive for fans, artists, and venues is to break up Live Nation. That became clear to me and many others after our 2023 Senate Judiciary hearing that I chaired on Live Nation-Ticketmaster's anticompetitive conduct. The Justice Department's previous agreements with Live Nation failed because they did not change its incentives to enrich itself over fans, artists, and venues. Today's settlement appears to be more of the same.

I am glad state attorneys general of both parties are already standing against this deal and pledging to continue the case to protect consumers. It is also troubling that the Justice Department settled this case less than a month after ousting the head of the Antitrust Division amidst warnings Live Nation was circumventing antitrust enforcers to cut a deal. These backroom dealings hurt consumers. That's why I plan to introduce legislation to strengthen review of antitrust settlements to ensure settlements benefit consumers."

Klobuchar has long led efforts to protect consumers and promote competition in the ticketing industry.

In January 2023, Klobuchar and Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) organized a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing after reports of significant service failures and delays on Ticketmaster's website in November left fans unable to purchase concert tickets for Taylor Swift's new tour.

Following the hearing, in February 2023, Klobuchar sent evidence from the hearing to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and called on the DOJ to continue examining Live Nation and Ticketmaster's anticompetitive conduct.

In April 2023, Klobuchar and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) introduced the Unlock Ticketing Markets Act to improve competition in live event ticketing markets by empowering the Federal Trade Commission to prevent the use of excessively long multi-year exclusive contracts that lock out competitors, decrease incentives to innovate new services, and increase costs for fans.

In December 2023, Klobuchar and Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced bipartisan Fan First Act to address flaws in the live event ticketing system by increasing transparency in ticket sales, protecting consumers from fake or dramatically over priced tickets and holding bad actors who engage in illegal ticket sale practices accountable.

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