Live Nation’s Australian arm has moved to distance itself from a landmark US antitrust ruling that found the company and Ticketmaster operated as an illegal monopoly, saying the verdict will have “no bearing” on its local operations, despite growing pressure for regulators to take a harder look closer to home.
A federal jury in New York last week found Live Nation liable for monopolisation, siding with more than 30 US states in a blockbuster case that alleged the company used its dominance to squeeze competition across live music.
The states argued Live Nation pressured venues into exclusive Ticketmaster deals, threatened to pull touring acts from non-compliant partners, and tied artist bookings to its own promotion and venue network.
Penalties are still to be determined, but could include significant financial damages or even structural changes to Live Nation and Ticketmaster’s combined operations, pending further court processes. Live Nation has said it intends to appeal.
In Australia, the ruling has reignited scrutiny of Live Nation’s market power. In a statement to Rolling Stone AU/NZ, Live Nation Australia sought to draw a clear line between the US ruling and its local operations. The company said it “remains focused on delivering unforgettable live experiences for artists and fans, supporting local talent and investing in the growth of the industry,” adding that the US case “is specific to the US market and has no bearing on our operations in Australia”.
However, there have been calls from industry groups including the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA) for regulators to step in.
“The US verdict shows that the Australian government and its agencies need to act on repeated calls to launch a similar investigation here in Australia,” Paul Davies, Director of MEAA Musicians, said in a statement to Rolling Stone AU/NZ.
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“The monopoly we have puts musicians and crew in an unpleasant position, with less and less power, and they’re already suffering low pay and insecure work. We’re once more calling for the government and its agencies to look into the extreme concentrated market power in Australia.”
The MEAA is asking the federal government to act on recommendations from last year’s parliamentary inquiry ‘Am I Ever Gonna See You Live Again?’, which warned of growing concentration in live music and called for stronger oversight of ticketing and competition.
It proposed giving the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission – an independent authority that regulates Australia’s competition, fair trading, and product safety – greater powers to monitor anti-competitive behaviour in the live music industry and strengthening consumer protections around ticketing.
