Ticketmaster's Monopoly Undermines Fair Competition in Live Entertainment Ticketing

Archita Ruby Arun

doi:doi:10.11648/j.jbed.20240904.12

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Ticketmaster's Monopoly Undermines Fair Competition in Live Entertainment Ticketing

Archita Ruby Arun^*

Published in Journal of Business and Economic Development (Volume 9, Issue 4)

Received: 9 October 2024 Accepted: 28 October 2024 Published: 13 November 2024

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Abstract

This study investigates the monopolistic control exerted by Ticketmaster, a subsidiary of Live Nation Entertainment, within the U.S. live entertainment ticketing industry, where it holds approximately 70-80% of the primary ticketing market and 50-60% of the secondary market as of 2022. Ticketmaster’s 2010 merger with Live Nation significantly bolstered its dominance, creating a vertically integrated entity that controls artist promotion, venue management, and ticket sales, thereby limiting market competition and consumer choice. Through exclusive contracts with major venues, bundled services, and dynamic pricing practices, Ticketmaster effectively stifles alternative ticketing providers and limits consumers’ ability to choose, often resulting in inflated prices and restricted access to popular events. Utilizing a multi-faceted approach that includes market share analysis, antitrust case reviews, consumer testimony, and comparative analyses with countries such as the UK, this paper underscores the challenges posed by Ticketmaster’s market concentration. Quantitative analysis, including the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI), shows post-merger concentration levels that far exceed thresholds for competitive markets, emphasizing the lack of feasible alternatives for consumers. The Taylor Swift "Eras Tour" ticketing controversy is a case in point, illustrating the consumer impact of Ticketmaster's monopoly through reported price inflation, limited availability, and repeated service failures. The paper concludes by proposing regulatory reforms to break up the Ticketmaster-Live Nation merger, cap dynamic pricing practices, and mandate transparent fee disclosures, aiming to curb anti-competitive practices and enhance consumer protections within the ticketing industry, fostering a fairer and more accessible live entertainment ecosystem.

Published in	Journal of Business and Economic Development (Volume 9, Issue 4)
DOI	10.11648/j.jbed.20240904.12
Page(s)	128-133
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Ticketmaster, Monopoly, Live Entertainment, Antitrust, Market Dominance, Taylor Swift, Live Nation, Ticketing Industry

References

[1]	Live Nation. Live Nation 2022 Annual Report. 23 Feb. 2023. Available from: https://livenation.com (accessed 30 October 2023).
[2]	NYU Law Journal. The Merger and the Damage Done: How the DOJ Enabled an Empire in the Live Music Industry. vol. 3, no. 1, 15 May 2015. Available from: https://nyulawjournal.org (accessed 3 November 2023).
[3]	US Government Accountability Office. Market Characteristics and Consumer Protection Issues. Report to Congress GOA-18-347, 1 Apr. 2018. Available from: https://gao.gov (accessed 3 November 2023).
[4]	Harvard Law Review. U.S. v. Alcoa. vol. 59, no. 2, Dec. 1945, pp. 254–258. Available from: https://harvardlawreview.org (accessed 4 November 2023).
[5]	US Senate Judiciary Committee. Hearing: That’s The Ticket: Promoting Competition and Protecting Consumers in Live Entertainment. 24 Jan. 2023. Available from: https://judiciary.senate.gov (accessed 3 November 2023).
[6]	CNN. Taylor Swift Fans Take Ticketmaster to Court Over Eras Tour Ticketing Chaos. 27 Mar. 2023. Available from: https://cnn.com (accessed 6 November 2023).
[7]	DOJ Complaint. US DOJ and States Antitrust Complaint. 25 Jan. 2010. Available from: https://justice.gov (accessed 3 November 2023).
[8]	Variety. Taylor Swift Fans Crash Ticketmaster. 15 Nov. 2022. Available from: https://variety.com (accessed 7 November 2023).
[9]	Groetzinger, J. Testimony. Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing: That’s The Ticket: Promoting Competition and Protecting Consumers in Live Entertainment. 24 Jan. 2023. Available from: https://judiciary.senate.gov (accessed 3 November 2023).
[10]	U.S. Federal Trade Commission. FTC's Role in Promoting Competition in the Entertainment Sector. FTC Publication No. 34-202, 15 Jun. 2022. Available from: https://ftc.gov (accessed 8 November 2023).
[11]	Williams, R. Monopolistic Dynamics in the Entertainment Ticketing Industry. Journal of Market Competition, vol. 12, no. 3, Apr. 2021, pp. 123-139. Available from: (accessed 10 November 2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmc.2021.04.005
[12]	American Antitrust Institute. The State of Monopolies in U.S. Consumer Markets: Focus on Ticketing. Report No. 59, Mar. 2021. Available from: https://antitrustinstitute.org (accessed 12 November 2023).
[13]	Smith, D., and Hayes, L. The Effects of Vertical Integration on Consumer Pricing in Entertainment Ticketing. Entertainment Economics Quarterly, vol. 18, no. 4, Sep. 2020, pp. 201-215. Available from: (accessed 15 November 2023). https://doi.org/10.1080/15320085.2020.3001234
[14]	European Commission. Antitrust Enforcement and Consumer Protection in Ticketing Services: A Comparative Study. Euro. Competition J., vol. 45, no. 1, Jan. 2022, pp. 67-82. Available from: (accessed 17 November 2023). https://doi.org/10.1080/17441056.2022.1253345
[15]	Fletcher, A. M. Dynamic Pricing and Consumer Welfare in Live Event Ticketing. Journal of Law and Economics, vol. 56, no. 2, May 2021, pp. 345-366. Available from: (accessed 18 November 2023). https://doi.org/10.1086/714562
[16]	Oxford Business Law Group. Ticketmaster’s Monopolistic Practices and Legal Implications. Oxford J. Bus. Law, vol. 9, no. 4, Dec. 2022, pp. 453-471. Available from: (accessed 20 November 2023). https://doi.org/10.1080/13600834.2022.1481234
[17]	Hirsch, E. J. Comparative Analysis of Antitrust Remedies in U.S. vs. European Ticketing Markets. European Law Review, vol. 62, no. 3, Jun. 2023, pp. 97-110. Available from: (accessed 23 November 2023). https://doi.org/10.1093/elr/etad123
[18]	Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Dynamic Pricing Transparency and Consumer Rights in Ticketing. Consumer Policy Brief No. 102, Oct. 2021. Available from: https://consumerfinance.gov (accessed 25 November 2023).
[19]	Economic Policy Institute. Market Analysis: Monopoly Power in U.S. Ticketing and Implications for Consumer Prices. Policy Report No. 789, Aug. 2023. Available from: https://epi.org (accessed 26 November 2023).

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APA Style

Arun, A. R. (2024). Ticketmaster's Monopoly Undermines Fair Competition in Live Entertainment Ticketing. Journal of Business and Economic Development, 9(4), 128-133. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jbed.20240904.12

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ACS Style

Arun, A. R. Ticketmaster's Monopoly Undermines Fair Competition in Live Entertainment Ticketing. J. Bus. Econ. Dev. 2024, 9(4), 128-133. doi: 10.11648/j.jbed.20240904.12

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AMA Style

Arun AR. Ticketmaster's Monopoly Undermines Fair Competition in Live Entertainment Ticketing. J Bus Econ Dev. 2024;9(4):128-133. doi: 10.11648/j.jbed.20240904.12

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@article{10.11648/j.jbed.20240904.12,
  author = {Archita Ruby Arun},
  title = {Ticketmaster's Monopoly Undermines Fair Competition in Live Entertainment Ticketing
},
  journal = {Journal of Business and Economic Development},
  volume = {9},
  number = {4},
  pages = {128-133},
  doi = {10.11648/j.jbed.20240904.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jbed.20240904.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.jbed.20240904.12},
  abstract = {This study investigates the monopolistic control exerted by Ticketmaster, a subsidiary of Live Nation Entertainment, within the U.S. live entertainment ticketing industry, where it holds approximately 70-80% of the primary ticketing market and 50-60% of the secondary market as of 2022. Ticketmaster’s 2010 merger with Live Nation significantly bolstered its dominance, creating a vertically integrated entity that controls artist promotion, venue management, and ticket sales, thereby limiting market competition and consumer choice. Through exclusive contracts with major venues, bundled services, and dynamic pricing practices, Ticketmaster effectively stifles alternative ticketing providers and limits consumers’ ability to choose, often resulting in inflated prices and restricted access to popular events. Utilizing a multi-faceted approach that includes market share analysis, antitrust case reviews, consumer testimony, and comparative analyses with countries such as the UK, this paper underscores the challenges posed by Ticketmaster’s market concentration. Quantitative analysis, including the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI), shows post-merger concentration levels that far exceed thresholds for competitive markets, emphasizing the lack of feasible alternatives for consumers. The Taylor Swift "Eras Tour" ticketing controversy is a case in point, illustrating the consumer impact of Ticketmaster's monopoly through reported price inflation, limited availability, and repeated service failures. The paper concludes by proposing regulatory reforms to break up the Ticketmaster-Live Nation merger, cap dynamic pricing practices, and mandate transparent fee disclosures, aiming to curb anti-competitive practices and enhance consumer protections within the ticketing industry, fostering a fairer and more accessible live entertainment ecosystem.
},
 year = {2024}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Ticketmaster's Monopoly Undermines Fair Competition in Live Entertainment Ticketing

AU  - Archita Ruby Arun
Y1  - 2024/11/13
PY  - 2024
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jbed.20240904.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.jbed.20240904.12
T2  - Journal of Business and Economic Development
JF  - Journal of Business and Economic Development
JO  - Journal of Business and Economic Development
SP  - 128
EP  - 133
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2637-3874
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jbed.20240904.12
AB  - This study investigates the monopolistic control exerted by Ticketmaster, a subsidiary of Live Nation Entertainment, within the U.S. live entertainment ticketing industry, where it holds approximately 70-80% of the primary ticketing market and 50-60% of the secondary market as of 2022. Ticketmaster’s 2010 merger with Live Nation significantly bolstered its dominance, creating a vertically integrated entity that controls artist promotion, venue management, and ticket sales, thereby limiting market competition and consumer choice. Through exclusive contracts with major venues, bundled services, and dynamic pricing practices, Ticketmaster effectively stifles alternative ticketing providers and limits consumers’ ability to choose, often resulting in inflated prices and restricted access to popular events. Utilizing a multi-faceted approach that includes market share analysis, antitrust case reviews, consumer testimony, and comparative analyses with countries such as the UK, this paper underscores the challenges posed by Ticketmaster’s market concentration. Quantitative analysis, including the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI), shows post-merger concentration levels that far exceed thresholds for competitive markets, emphasizing the lack of feasible alternatives for consumers. The Taylor Swift "Eras Tour" ticketing controversy is a case in point, illustrating the consumer impact of Ticketmaster's monopoly through reported price inflation, limited availability, and repeated service failures. The paper concludes by proposing regulatory reforms to break up the Ticketmaster-Live Nation merger, cap dynamic pricing practices, and mandate transparent fee disclosures, aiming to curb anti-competitive practices and enhance consumer protections within the ticketing industry, fostering a fairer and more accessible live entertainment ecosystem.

VL  - 9
IS  - 4
ER  -

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Author Information

Archita Ruby Arun

MathMinds Inc., Chicago, The United States

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0000-5821-6603

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Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Arun, A. R. (2024). Ticketmaster's Monopoly Undermines Fair Competition in Live Entertainment Ticketing. Journal of Business and Economic Development, 9(4), 128-133. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jbed.20240904.12

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ACS Style

Arun, A. R. Ticketmaster's Monopoly Undermines Fair Competition in Live Entertainment Ticketing. J. Bus. Econ. Dev. 2024, 9(4), 128-133. doi: 10.11648/j.jbed.20240904.12

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AMA Style

Arun AR. Ticketmaster's Monopoly Undermines Fair Competition in Live Entertainment Ticketing. J Bus Econ Dev. 2024;9(4):128-133. doi: 10.11648/j.jbed.20240904.12

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.jbed.20240904.12,
  author = {Archita Ruby Arun},
  title = {Ticketmaster's Monopoly Undermines Fair Competition in Live Entertainment Ticketing
},
  journal = {Journal of Business and Economic Development},
  volume = {9},
  number = {4},
  pages = {128-133},
  doi = {10.11648/j.jbed.20240904.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jbed.20240904.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.jbed.20240904.12},
  abstract = {This study investigates the monopolistic control exerted by Ticketmaster, a subsidiary of Live Nation Entertainment, within the U.S. live entertainment ticketing industry, where it holds approximately 70-80% of the primary ticketing market and 50-60% of the secondary market as of 2022. Ticketmaster’s 2010 merger with Live Nation significantly bolstered its dominance, creating a vertically integrated entity that controls artist promotion, venue management, and ticket sales, thereby limiting market competition and consumer choice. Through exclusive contracts with major venues, bundled services, and dynamic pricing practices, Ticketmaster effectively stifles alternative ticketing providers and limits consumers’ ability to choose, often resulting in inflated prices and restricted access to popular events. Utilizing a multi-faceted approach that includes market share analysis, antitrust case reviews, consumer testimony, and comparative analyses with countries such as the UK, this paper underscores the challenges posed by Ticketmaster’s market concentration. Quantitative analysis, including the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI), shows post-merger concentration levels that far exceed thresholds for competitive markets, emphasizing the lack of feasible alternatives for consumers. The Taylor Swift "Eras Tour" ticketing controversy is a case in point, illustrating the consumer impact of Ticketmaster's monopoly through reported price inflation, limited availability, and repeated service failures. The paper concludes by proposing regulatory reforms to break up the Ticketmaster-Live Nation merger, cap dynamic pricing practices, and mandate transparent fee disclosures, aiming to curb anti-competitive practices and enhance consumer protections within the ticketing industry, fostering a fairer and more accessible live entertainment ecosystem.
},
 year = {2024}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Ticketmaster's Monopoly Undermines Fair Competition in Live Entertainment Ticketing

AU  - Archita Ruby Arun
Y1  - 2024/11/13
PY  - 2024
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jbed.20240904.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.jbed.20240904.12
T2  - Journal of Business and Economic Development
JF  - Journal of Business and Economic Development
JO  - Journal of Business and Economic Development
SP  - 128
EP  - 133
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2637-3874
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jbed.20240904.12
AB  - This study investigates the monopolistic control exerted by Ticketmaster, a subsidiary of Live Nation Entertainment, within the U.S. live entertainment ticketing industry, where it holds approximately 70-80% of the primary ticketing market and 50-60% of the secondary market as of 2022. Ticketmaster’s 2010 merger with Live Nation significantly bolstered its dominance, creating a vertically integrated entity that controls artist promotion, venue management, and ticket sales, thereby limiting market competition and consumer choice. Through exclusive contracts with major venues, bundled services, and dynamic pricing practices, Ticketmaster effectively stifles alternative ticketing providers and limits consumers’ ability to choose, often resulting in inflated prices and restricted access to popular events. Utilizing a multi-faceted approach that includes market share analysis, antitrust case reviews, consumer testimony, and comparative analyses with countries such as the UK, this paper underscores the challenges posed by Ticketmaster’s market concentration. Quantitative analysis, including the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI), shows post-merger concentration levels that far exceed thresholds for competitive markets, emphasizing the lack of feasible alternatives for consumers. The Taylor Swift "Eras Tour" ticketing controversy is a case in point, illustrating the consumer impact of Ticketmaster's monopoly through reported price inflation, limited availability, and repeated service failures. The paper concludes by proposing regulatory reforms to break up the Ticketmaster-Live Nation merger, cap dynamic pricing practices, and mandate transparent fee disclosures, aiming to curb anti-competitive practices and enhance consumer protections within the ticketing industry, fostering a fairer and more accessible live entertainment ecosystem.

VL  - 9
IS  - 4
ER  -

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