president donald trump. department of justice joined by 29 states and the district of columbia sued live nation and ticket anti-trust act. in recenteave nation ticket master's exorbitant fees a failures

have been criticized by fans and artists alike. but we are not here today because live na conduct is inconvenient or frustrating. we are here we allege, that conduct is anti-competitive and illegal. our complaint makes clear what happens when monopolist dedicates its resources to entrenching its monopoly power and insulating itself from competition rather than investing better products and services. we allege that live nation has a monopolized markets across the live concert industry in the united stes it is time to break it up. ticket master made itself ubiquitous in the industry. it directly manages more than 400 artists and controls more than 60% of concert promotions across the country. and or controls more than 60% of large we allege to dominance, live nation relies on

wf anti-competitive conduct to exercise its monopolist to control over live event industry in the united states and over the fans, independent promotors and venues that power the the result is that fans pay artists have fewer opportunities to play concerts smaller promotors get squeezed out and venues ve fewer real choices for ticketing services. as detailed in our complaint they loc because of large term ticketing contracts with venues that canll as by acquiring venues themselves. with exclusive agreements that cover more than 70% of concert concert venues across the country, ticket impose a seemingly endless list of fees on fans. those include ticketing fees, service fees, convenience fees platinum fees, price fees, per order fees handling fees, and

payment among others. illegal conduct means higher prices. in other countries where venues are not bound by master's exclusive ticketing projectsiple ticketing companies for the same event and fans cee more innovative ticketing products as a result. also allege that live nation ticket master uses these long term ticketing's with venues and controls over venues to unlawfully pressuringreeing to use their promotion services. live nation ofterofits it could earn as a venue owner by venue sit empty rather than opening them to artists whono live nation promotion services. even during peak season. live nation has not only deployed anti-competitive tactics towards artists and venues to using their services and to charge fans fees strategically and rivals

across any of its ive nation suffocates its competition using a variety of tactics from acquisitions of smaller regional promotors and venues to threats and retaliation, to agreements with rivalsed to neutralize them. this has included acquiring or co-opting promotors even when the economics of a particular deal did not make nation's promotion business. for example, as recounted in our complaint, live nation acquired a controlling stake entertainment, an independent promotor in tennessee.live nation's chief strategy officer assured executives that quote, the numbers are not superexcitingore of a defensive move, the acquisition quote, grow our moat in the nashville market. when faced with another potential competitor, live nation took action to ensure the competitor would nots dominance in the live

music industry. live nationrized that competitor the v o.q. group, as, quote, one of its biggest however, oak view and live nation mo partners as detailed in our complaint, livecutives repeatedlyed oak view for trying to compete. in one instance ination c.e.o. warned oak view that lead to artists demanding more compensation.c.e.o. emailed oak view writing, quote, let' now start playing us off, referring to a prominent artist agency. oak view backed down. in a similar instance in 2022 live nation c.e.o.x$ close quote. oak view again backed down. quote, we have ne promoted without you. won't, said a c.e.o., and later added quote i never want to be

competitors, close quote. also allege live nation has repeatedly wielded its powers to rivals from expanding in the u.s. concert promarket through threats and retaliation. in 2021 live nation retaliate against private equity firm silver lake unless one of the ladder's portfolio companies stoppe artist promotion contracts in live nation c.e.o. told silver lake that he, failed to understand why silver lake, quote, conedn a business that competes with live the threats ultimately succeeded and silver lake has tried to tell altogether. we allege live nation does nots dominance in the live entertainment industry by staying ahead of its the merits. it does so by unlawfully eliminating its competition. we allege live nationt industry in the united states because it is breaking the law.

i am grateful to the justice department's anti-trust division for their excellent work of this case. the entertainment industry is complex and taking on the case required persistence and diligence by the anti-trust lawyers i am people always remember the first time they music. i remember as a senior to a bonnie raitt concert and seeing anp-and-coming artist bruce springsteen warm-up act. we didn't know we had just seen the future the justice department filed this lawsuit on behalf ofo to concerts without a monopoly standing in their way. we have filed this lawsuit on behalf of artists who could be able to plan their concerts by their fans and not be dictated

unlawful monopolist. we have filed this lawsuit on behalf of the who should be able to compete on a level playing field. this lawsuit on behalf of the american fans and artists to stop payin nation's monopoly. restore competition and innovation in the entertainment industry. it is time to break up live nation/ticket master. the american people are ready for it. and now i'll turn it over to the >> good you, mr. attorney general. today's announcement reflects the latest efforts by the department of justice combat corporate misconduct. since day one of this we've prioritized holding the most wrongdoers accountable from bribe payers toprice fixers. our fight against corporate wrongdoing includes an intense focus on anti-competitive conduct, which disadvantages consumers, workers, and of all kinds.

detailed, today's announcement alleges that live nation and subsidiary ticket master have engaged in conduct to submit their dominance of the live concert market. it lays out how live nation/ticket master acts as the gatekeeper for an entire industry, reaching itsiahands into every stage of the concert life promotes the shows to where they happen to how they are ticketed. and with its exclusionary effectively reaches into the pockets of concertgoers driving up fees. over theon has intentionally blocked others out of the marke where shows can take place, who can sell from them. as alleged in the employed a range of tactics to keep competitors out the market. long term exclusive acquisitions, regional competitors andagainst venues. today's lawsuit by the division is

an enormous step forward in preventing on from dictating the ebbs and flows of an entire industry. it's a step forward to give more promotors, and ticket sellers a chance to compete for the it's a step forward in making this of live music more accessible for the fans, the industry that supports because when families want to attend a concert, the add-on fees they nee shouldn't break the bank. when an independent venuext big show, they should have the opportunity to compete. and a regional promotor wants to fear retaliation. put simply, who gets to participate inace. i want to thank the women and men of the anti-trustion for their work and assistant attorney general leadership to protect consumers, performers, and small today and always, their work formsfoundation of the department's incorporate enforcement mission to promote fairness to

drive deterrence and to advance the rule of law. than wh that, i'll turn it over to assistant attorney general cantor. >> thank you attorney general garland and deputy attorney general monaco. mr. cantor: the system broken because ticket master controls the a monopoly. today the united states 30 states southerns general filed anto restore competition by breaking mr. kant music includes three key agreements, artists, venues, and fans. live nation/ticket master's dominance has allowed itcontrol over all three. it starts with power over artists. nation/ticket master represents hundreds ofit promotions business which controls the

organi marketing and financing of large concerts. live nation ticket master also owns or controls venues in which these concerts are held. for owns 60 of america's 100 l amphitheaters. at these venues, live only earns money from concessions merchandise, sponsorships and even park ticket master's subsidiary, live nation controls primary ticketing and hundreds of other venues across the country. and it is through these exclusive ticketing face the dreaded ticket master tax. endless set named service fee or convenience fee when they're anything but. our lawsuit explains through detailed allegations how live nation/ticket weaponized and entrenched its at

the expense of artists and music fans ac just by way of example the latkass how live nation fought to avoid spending wars that would have returned more money to performers. thisbad news for all artists but it's especially working musicians who do not have the power to despite its already massive live nation/ticket master has acquired even promotors that live nation feared could one the complaint also alleges live nation/ticket master threatens and retaliates against venues who try to choose a di promotor or ticketer. if you're an artist, you e live nation for promotion or risk being in its own words, live nation uses its exclusionary conduct as quote, a hedge against significant improvements by the ven a new competitor, end quote. but the cost of that

hedge is one that we all pay.for example, broken ticketing website with at still captures your valuable data. aster has said quote, now we not only know the bought the ticket, but also the three that you're taking to the show. each of these acts are lawfulowy're even worse. collectively these impenetrable corporate barrier around the live marketh today's lawsuit we seek to hold le for violating the anti-trust laws. the legendary songwriter harland howard described american music as three chords and the truth. this is more than just a clever turn of phrase, it speaks to importance of music to free speech and the mr. howard was right words and music come country's most cherished forms of free expression.

music is the soundtrack for our as a country, it is how we communicate about and despair, spirtuality everything in between. and everywhere. should not be available only to those who can afford to pay the ticket master we are here today to fight for can reopen the doors to music industry for all. in closing, i would like to thank tvision and its staff who today are the to the delight of an entire nation. the attorneys general and their amazingff from the states ofnsas california, colorado connecticut the of columbia, florida, illinois maryland, massachusetts, michigan, mi new jersey, new york, north carolina, ohio oklahoma, oregon pennsylvania, rhode island, south carolina, tennessee, texas

virginia washington, west virginia, wisconsin, and wyoming. today in filing this important and historic case. thank you. >> que topic. i don't know who can answer the question. when we talk about the ticket master fees, are we talking about tens of dollars or hdollars in terms of the average consumer? question which i will give to mr. kanter. mr. kanter: ask the consumer about the tax and the fees they're paying. in the aggregate it amounts to across the entire country and across the entirery. reporter: mr. attorney general, with information coming the supreme court justice is having a flag flying over 6 related cases before the court, do you have anyhing that the justice department can do or say about the situation? mr. garland: the justice department i can't comment on any justice.

reporter: we rarely see at this phase of enforcement clearly state what kind of be looking for in terms of the case. it's very clear you're seeking to break up ticket live nation. why did you decide to this time and what kind of remedy potential would result in the case? mr. garland: as the complaint describes an important element in the gears. i think they describe fly wheel of the operation, and it's necessary to separate ticket master from live nation to limit the and all the fans promotors artists that we talked about. mr. kanter: some monopolies are so entrenched and address that they require decisive and solutions. we request a ry in

anti-trust law, going back over a hundred years which is structure relief. reporter: i have two questions for the attornpic. mr. garland: i'm surprised. reporter: most of us got a solicitationident of the united states that the justice department had authorization to kill mar-a-lago raid. first, can you give us some on that particular point that he's making and whether deadly force is authorized in other interventions search of mr. biden's residence the second question is -- one, that allegation is false, and it is extremely the document that is being referred the allegation is a justice department s policy limiting the use of force. as the advises it is part of the standard operations p and in fact, it was even used in thearch of president biden's home. reporter: second question is obviously

moving ahead with resolution on you. i wonder if you have comments or if you could not you watched the house oversight committee night? mr. garland: i caught part of thatay night live"." but seriously, i am very disappointed. the justice department, as i'veas gone to extraordinary lengths accommodate the legitimate interests of the committees. i've release unredacted report of mr. hur. we permitted himstify in over five hours with everything that happened in this investigation and we provid in which the committee is interested. but one, the president of the united states has asserted executive privilege in order to protect the justice department's future inves against cooperation in high profile cases particularly involvinge house. my job is to protect the justice depa those investigations. my job is to protect the rule i'm

reporter: mr. garland, two quest justice department's approval of the merger 2010 a mistake? then a different topic. time. on to punt them to mr. kanter anyway. is off topic? reporter: a different topic. our complaint adequately describes the ryat did not resolve the matter as far as we're concerned but i'll let mr. kanter say a little more and i'll come back for you. mr. kanter: the last action involved one this action involves conduct that addresses nearly aspect of the music supply chain. it involved the cla act, specifically section 7. following includes the sherman act, section an act. attorney general, the justice department said in court multiple times that deserve a quick resolution to the cases against donald trump.hat does not

happen and there is n resolution or any trial before the election, would that be a failure of justice? mr. garland: the justice department's position is speedy trial. a that matter is now in the hands of the courts. i'm not ate any further. >> thank you, everyone. al cable satellite corp. 2023]