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US Justice Department to seek breakup of Live Nation-Ticketmaster

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31–40 of 319 posts

Re: US Justice Department to seek breakup of Live Nation-Ticketmaster

#32
post #7

What's the typical turn time for a case like this from the time it is filed to the time it is actually in front of a judge/jury? This particular administration only has a guaranteed relevance of about 7 months. It could get extended, or it could get replaced and then cases like this would most likely get dropped. So, why bring it now?

In the article, they mention both the Trump and Biden administrations initiating investigations. Only since Obama, has this been “approved”.

What leads you to believe it would most likely be dropped?

Re: US Justice Department to seek breakup of Live Nation-Ticketmaster

#33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Because we all but entirely stopped enforcing anti-trust in the 80s My kids have never known a time without the DoJ rubber-stamping every monopoly-building merger it could.

Yeah, it’s not just failing to break up monopolies, it’s allowing mergers to go through that would’ve been laughably doomed to fail to pass regulatory muster in earlier decades.

Well, there was arguably a point to be had in the 90s for relaxing standards.

The web was new.

It was allowing over the top and disruption of a lot of legacy businesses.

It wasn't clear what constituted a market in those times.

However, by 2009, standards should have been reimposed. That largely didn't happen. Regulators simply got used to letting things go through, and so they kept doing that.

Re: US Justice Department to seek breakup of Live Nation-Ticketmaster

#34
There are plenty of web sites where you can (legally) scalp tickets. I don't see how you can argue that Ticketmaster is a monopoly when you can also buy tickets on StubHub, SeatGeek, Vivid Seats and several other sites I don't remember off the top of my head. All of them use the same shady pricing practices as far as I know.

If Ticketmaster is the original seller, you do have to go through them to transfer the digital ticket but many venues still have physical ticket options.

Re: US Justice Department to seek breakup of Live Nation-Ticketmaster

#35

Jeez, How did Govt take this long to break up Live Nation. How?

The Administration is bound by the Due Care clause, but that's a huge window, so you can just intentionally create a dysfunctional and incompetent group of people and give them the responsibility for enforcing this nations laws.

This Administration, although it would hate to actually admit it out loud, actually put someone competent in charge of the agency with this enforcement responsibility and then.. to everyone's absolute surprise.. let them do their job effectively.

Re: US Justice Department to seek breakup of Live Nation-Ticketmaster

#36
post #34

There are plenty of web sites where you can (legally) scalp tickets. I don't see how you can argue that Ticketmaster is a monopoly when you can also buy tickets on StubHub, SeatGeek, Vivid Seats and several other sites I don't remember off the top of my head. All of them use the same shady pricing practices as far as I know. If Ticketmaster is the original seller, you do have to go through them to transfer the digita…

> don't see how you can argue that Ticketmaster is a monopoly

The monopoly is on the supply side. "Obama’s Justice Department reviewed the [Live Nation-Ticketmaster merger] and allowed it to move forward as part of a settlement in which the company promised it wouldn’t retaliate against concert venues that opted against using Ticketmaster."

Most (all?) large venues in the country are exclusively contracted to use Live Nation, which means performers are locked into using Live Nation, which means fans are obligated to pay its fees, directly or indirectly.

Re: US Justice Department to seek breakup of Live Nation-Ticketmaster

#37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Because we all but entirely stopped enforcing anti-trust in the 80s My kids have never known a time without the DoJ rubber-stamping every monopoly-building merger it could.

Yeah, it’s not just failing to break up monopolies, it’s allowing mergers to go through that would’ve been laughably doomed to fail to pass regulatory muster in earlier decades.

Stock buybacks didn't used to be allowed either, but trillions of dollars have been pulled out of companies to pump stocks in the last several years.

Re: US Justice Department to seek breakup of Live Nation-Ticketmaster

#38
post #28
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm theory, prosecutions are a civil service function, not a political function. Changes in administration might change the leadership and what areas are prioritized, but once you have a case, it really shouldn't matter who is in office. In theory.

What theory is this from, some sort of administrative state theory? This has never been the case in any executive branch that I'm aware of.

Exactly this. The first few days in office, a new POTUS will typically use executive orders specifically to reverse policies the previous administration put in place.

Re: US Justice Department to seek breakup of Live Nation-Ticketmaster

#39
post #7

What's the typical turn time for a case like this from the time it is filed to the time it is actually in front of a judge/jury? This particular administration only has a guaranteed relevance of about 7 months. It could get extended, or it could get replaced and then cases like this would most likely get dropped. So, why bring it now?

> This particular administration only has a guaranteed relevance of about 7 months.

That is a deeply cynical view on the nature of politics.

> So, why bring it now?

Why help anyone else if you can't score political points off the back of it? Possibly because it's the right thing to do and ideologically motivated people actually do successfully exist in government.

Re: US Justice Department to seek breakup of Live Nation-Ticketmaster

#40
As someone who predominately works in music and has for two and half decades… Please and hurry up and do it too totality!

I’ve watched the rise, domination and effects first hand as to what live nation has done. Hell, I’ve lived it! It’s an utter disaster hell scape. Only lessoned because its “entertainment.” Regardless if it was a more strategically important industry it would have already been broken up standard oil style.

Once upon a time payolla was a crime. Live nation is worse than payolla ever was and I don’t say that lightly. At least with payolla it was a simple quid pro quo pay to play. Live nation has the radio stations, it has the venues, it has the ticketing, it has the booking agents, it has the labels, it has the artists, and it has the vast majority of the personal. When theyre in a city they region lock it , which is to say if you’re not live nation you’re priced out or just playing black listed. Think the opposite of net-neutrality only physical and literally every facet of the industry up and down.

The ticket prices may be what triggered the doj because it effects the public, behind the scenes its even worse.

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