'About damn time': Internet pleased as DOJ sues Ticketmaster owner Live Nation for alleged 'monopoly'

WASHINGTON, DC: The Department of Justice, along with 29 states and the District of Columbia, filed a lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment, the parent company of Ticketmaster, alleging that it has monopolized the live event industry.

The department's announcement on Thursday, May 23, revealed that the antitrust lawsuit filed in New York seeks to reduce ticket prices for fans and increase opportunities for musicians at various venues, according to the New York Post.

DOJ seeks to break up Ticketmaster merger

According to DOJ, Live Nation, a company that generates $22 billion annually, owns or controls more than 265 concert venues in North America which includes 60 of the top 100 amphitheaters, reported USA Today.

The entertainment company describes itself as "the largest live entertainment company in the world."

Attorney General Merrick Garland stated that Live Nation's dominance allowed them to gain control over the live-events industry in a manner that negatively impacted fans, performers, small promoters, and venue operators.

The federal lawsuit accuses the company of using outdated technology that withholds critical ticketing information from fans.

The DOJ labeled the company's fees as "essentially a ‘Ticketmaster Tax’ that ultimately raise the price fans pay."

“The result is that fans pay more in fees, artists have fewer opportunities to play concerts, smaller promoters get squeezed out, and venues have fewer real choices for ticketing services,” stated Garland.

"It is time to break up Live Nation," he added.

Live Nation responds to DOJ's antitrust lawsuit

The antitrust legal action has not specified how Live Nation should be broken or quantify the additional costs fans have incurred due to their alleged monopolistic behavior.

The lawsuit garnered support from attorneys general from both parties including Republicans in Texas and Oklahoma and Democrats in California and New York.

Responding to the Justice Department's move against them, Live Nation called the legal action a possible “PR win for the DOJ in the short term,” but stated that they would prevail in court, reported the New York Post.

The company stated that the lawsuit "won’t solve the issues fans care about relating to ticket prices, service fees, and access to in-demand shows," adding, "There is more competition than ever in the live events market."

Internet welcomes DOJ's lawsuit against Live Nation

Reacting to DOJ's antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation and seeking Ticketmaster merger breakup, one user on X (formerly Twitter wrote, "Good hopefully it lowers ticket prices."

"The price of concert tickets is unbelievable. Who the hell is making all the money cause it’s probably not the musicians," a netizen commented while another user wrote, "About damn time."

One user wrote, "I'm looking forward to greatly reduced ticket prices," and another user tweeted, "We are tired of fraudmaster."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.