Taylor Swift Eras Tour: Justice Department Targets Live Nation Entertainment Over Ridiculously Pricey Tickets

Published 04/16/2024, 11:00 PM EDT

via Getty

Since the inception of the Eras Tour and its initial international leg, Taylor Swift enthusiasts have flooded arenas with resounding chants of support. Her electrifying performances have stirred up a fervor, creating a seismic wave of excitement among fans, who eagerly anticipated a return to the concert event of the year. However, despite the economic boon brought about by the Eras Tour, concerns have emerged regarding ticket pricing and the quality of services provided by Live Nation, the agency in question. 

Even though investigations into the agency's practices have been ongoing, the issue has now gained significant traction, with the Justice Department poised to file a lawsuit against Live Nation.

The reason behind the Live Nation being aimed for a lawsuit after Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour

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In November 2022, Taylor Swift's Eras Tour triggered an investigation by the Justice Department during a presale event. A Ticketmaster glitch resulted in numerous fans being unable to secure tickets, prompting the government to re-evaluate the Live Nation and Ticketmaster merger from a decade ago. As reported by The Wall Street Journal, now, the Justice Department is once again turning its attention to the issue, preparing to file an antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster, possibly within the coming month. 

via Imago

The lawsuit alleges that Ticketmaster has hindered competition in the live event ticketing market. However, specific claims regarding the suit have not been learned yet. Concerns were raised in 2010 when the companies merged, with fears that Live Nation could use its influence to pressure venues into using its ticketing services exclusively. As a dominant force that holds 80% of the market in concert promotion and ticketing, the merger raised concerns about ridiculous ticket fees, inadequate customer support, and anti-competitive practices.

Taylor Swift Did Not Only Dominate ‘The Eras Tour’ Tickets Sales but Also Sold $3.48 Million of These

Additionally, with the merger, it also solidified its presence in the post-pandemic era of live events. Despite the company's denial of any monopolistic behavior, the impending lawsuit suggests otherwise. However, amidst these legal transactions, Swift’s Eras Tour boasted an economic boost for America in a never-seen-before way.

When Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour backed up America’s economy

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Taylor Swift is expected to amass a fortune exceeding $4 billion by the conclusion of her Eras Tour in December per DailyMail. Early forecasts indicated that her performances in the USA alone have already generated and are projected to generate over $4.5 billion in consumer spending. Additionally, before embarking on the Australian leg of her tour, it was estimated that Australians would collectively spend upwards of $326 million on tickets, hotel accommodations, and merchandise, mimicking the economic boost like in the US.

via Getty

The ticket prices that boosted the economy are determined by artists and their teams and not by Ticketmaster itself as contended earlier by Live Nation's Head of Corporate affairs, Dan Wall. Nevertheless, in 2019, reports surfaced of Live Nation pressuring venues to utilize its Ticketmaster subsidiary, prompting a revised settlement. Now, the investigation, initiated by the government, seems aimed at enhancing concert experiences, suggesting a chance for sustained economic prosperity, with Swifties possibly enjoying easier ticket purchases.

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What do you think of the Justice Department aiming a lawsuit against Live Nation for the pricey tickets of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour? Let us know in the comments below!

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Anushka Bhattacharya

636 articles

I'm Anushka Bhattacharya, an entertainment journalist at Netflix Junkie. Armed with a degree in literature, I once wielded my words to catalyze change within society through my work with NGOs. However, as I stumbled into the exuberant hole of crime thrillers and documentaries on Netflix, it was love at first sight and pushed me into entertainment journalism.

Edited By: Itti Mahajan

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