How The Taylor Swift Debacle Fueled The Ticketmaster Monopoly Debate

Taylor Swift is not the first artist to be at the center of controversy over Ticketmaster and Live Nation’s domination of the live entertainment industry. In November when presale tickets for the pop star’s Eras Tour were plagued by disruptions and slow queues, chaos erupted and the general public sale was canceled. But Live Nation Entertainment, the consolidation of Live Nation and Ticketmaster, has been under fierce scrutiny for years and a similar uproar occurred surrounding the sale of Bruce Springsteen tickets just months prior. On Jan. 24, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing that explored whether Live Nation Entertainment is hurting consumers by stifling competition. In 2019, the Department of Justice alleged Live Nation Entertainment violated its consent decree, the condition of the two companies’ merger, and the concert giant settled with the government. A monopoly is not illegal in the United States. But abuse of that power can be. Here’s a close look at why Live Nation and Ticketmaster are