Pennsylvania joins Ticketmaster lawsuit, demands compensation for overcharged customers

Pennsylvania is one of 29 states and the District of Columbia that have signed on to a federal lawsuit against Ticketmaster, alleging its practices have hurt consumers and venues by monopolizing the live entertainment industry.

“Live Nation and Ticketmaster have long had a chokehold on much of the live entertainment industry,” Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry said in a statement. “Consumers who want to see one of their favorite bands, artists, or shows, are likely to encounter Live Nation and Ticketmaster at the gates. Pennsylvanians deserve to have fair and competitive choices when it comes to tickets to live entertainment.”

The U.S. Department of Justice filed the lawsuit Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Long-standing complaints about Ticketmaster’s practices hit a peak in 2022 when its botched rollout of Taylor Swift tickets led to a hearing before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on the company’s role in the ticketing industry.

The lawsuit alleges that Live Nation has maintained an anti-competitive monopoly in ticketing markets by locking up venues through restrictive long-term, exclusive agreements, Henry said, and threatening venues that they would lose access to tours Live Nation controls if the venues sign with another ticketing company. 

The lawsuit asks the court to prohibit Live Nation from engaging in its anticompetitive practices; divest Ticketmaster; and secure financial compensation consumers who paid more than they would have in a competitive market for tickets.