{"id":62968,"date":"2026-04-21T16:57:55","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T16:57:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/21\/two-attorneys-general-on-what-it-means-for-fans\/"},"modified":"2026-04-21T16:57:55","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T16:57:55","slug":"two-attorneys-general-on-what-it-means-for-fans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/21\/two-attorneys-general-on-what-it-means-for-fans\/","title":{"rendered":"Two Attorneys General on What it Means for Fans"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\n\tThis op-ed was written by Letitia James and Jonathan Skrmetti, attorneys general for New York and Tennessee, respectively. Both were deeply involved with the recent antitrust suit against Live Nation<\/a> and Ticketmaster, which ended last week with a jury finding the company liable for operating as a monopoly. New York and Tennessee were also among the 33 states, plus Washington D.C., that proceeded with the case after the Department of Justice settled with Live Nation mid-trial.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n\tLast month, customers of Live Nation learned that company executives love \u201crobbing them blind\u201d <\/a>because they are \u201cso stupid.\u201d Behind closed doors, these executives bragged about \u201cgoug[ing]\u201d customers in every possible way, such as by charging \u201c$50 to park in the grass\u201d and \u201c$60 to park in closer grass.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tTheir CEO led by example. For instance, he banned customers from bringing lawn chairs to an outdoor venue \u2014 for their safety, he said \u2014 and then turned around and made millions of dollars renting them lawn chairs.<\/p>\n

\n\tFor many Americans, that didn\u2019t come as a surprise. It confirmed what they already knew from experience.<\/p>\n

\n\tAnyone who has tried to buy a concert ticket in recent years knows the feeling. You log on early to an unreliable platform, wait in a digital line, finally secure a seat \u2014 and then watch the price balloon with a cascade of mysterious fees. Service fees. Convenience fees. Processing fees. Facility fees. By the time you check out, the cost has exploded.<\/p>\n

\n\tFor decades, fans said the system was rigged. Artists complained about excessive fees. Venue owners were forced to contend with Live Nation\u2019s bullying. In functional markets, companies that behave that way won\u2019t last long. The live events market is broken.<\/p>\n

\n\tThat\u2019s why we built a coalition of 40 state attorneys general to sue Live Nation and Ticketmaster for maintaining illegal monopolies in the live events industry. Our lawsuit showed that they unfairly manipulated the marketplace in their favor. They locked venues into exclusive contracts, forced competitors out of the industry, and limited artists\u2019 choices of where they could perform.<\/p>\n

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\t\tEditor\u2019s picks<\/p>\n<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n

\n\tLast week, a jury agreed<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\tAfter a five-week trial, our coalition of attorneys general proved that Live Nation and Ticketmaster\u2019s illegal monopoly drives up prices and hurts fans, artists, and venues across the country.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe verdict was clear: we won on every count.<\/p>\n

\n\tThis case was never about one bad fee or one frustrating checkout experience. It was about how one company came to dominate nearly every aspect of live events \u2014 from promoting shows to owning venues to selling tickets \u2014 and then used that power to take advantage of consumers.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe result? Higher prices, fewer options, and a worse experience for fans, artists, and venues alike.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe evidence was overwhelming. The jury found that fans were overcharged for tickets as a direct result of this monopoly, paying higher fees for their tickets.<\/p>\n

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\t\t\t\t\tLetitia James and Jonathan Skrmetti<\/span><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWill Waldron\/Albany Times Union\/Getty Images; George Walker IV\/AP<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

\n\tFor decades, artists and fans alike have raised the alarm. Way back in 1994, Pearl Jam accused Ticketmaster<\/a> of using its dominance to block competition and punish those who challenged its pricing. More recently, fans trying to buy tickets for major tours, like Taylor Swift, Beyonc\u00e9, BTS, Bruce Springsteen, and Harry Styles have faced sky-high prices, system failures, and a lack of real alternatives.<\/p>\n

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\t\tRelated Content<\/p>\n<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n

\n\tUntil now, little has changed.<\/p>\n

\n\tThis verdict is a turning point for the live events industry and for every American who has felt powerless in the face of rising ticket costs. It affirms that no company, no matter how powerful, is above the law. And it proves that strong antitrust enforcement works<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\tThis was a bipartisan effort, led by state attorneys general from across the country and across the political spectrum, because this isn\u2019t a partisan issue. Fair markets are the foundation of our nation\u2019s economy. Competition drives innovation, lowers prices, and gives consumers real choice. When companies break those rules, it\u2019s our job to step in.<\/p>\n

\n\tWe are going to fix this broken system. In the coming months, we will ask the court to impose remedies that restore competition and deliver real relief to fans. That includes financial consequences for the company and, more importantly, a breakup of Live Nation\u2019s monopoly.<\/p>\n

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\t\tTrending Stories<\/p>\n<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n

\n\tWe\u2019re fighting for a live events marketplace where fans come first, where artists have real autonomy, and where buying a ticket doesn\u2019t feel like a race to break the bank. The only way to get there is through real competition.<\/p>\n

\n\tFor too long, Live Nation and Ticketmaster held fans captive. Now that era is coming to an end.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


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