A federal judge in California is poised to allow millions of Ticketmaster customers to unite as a class in a significant antitrust lawsuit. This development was indicated by US District Judge George Wu during a hearing on December 4, with the request for class certification currently under review.
The case, initiated by plaintiff Skot Heckman—a Ticketmaster customer—centers on allegations that Ticketmaster and its parent company Live Nation have exploited their monopoly to unjustly inflate ticket prices and detrimentally impact consumers. The lawsuit, filed in January 2022, accuses Ticketmaster of secretly allocating primary tickets to brokers via “ticket banks,” despite publicly asserting efforts to combat scalping, as reported by Music Business Worldwide.
Furthermore, Live Nation allegedly mandates that brokers resell tickets exclusively on Ticketmaster’s platform to avoid being barred from purchasing new tickets. The lawsuit accuses the company of employing technological measures that restrict ticket transfers outside its resale system. It also suggests that Live Nation coerced venues into exclusive agreements worth millions, which would consequently limit competition in the primary ticketing market. Plaintiffs claim that Ticketmaster’s control leads to excessively high service fees, making tickets 20% to 80% more expensive than their original price.
If Judge Wu approves the class certification, the plaintiffs could gain substantial leverage in potential settlement negotiations as Live Nation might be facing claims amounting to billions of dollars. The class could potentially include all U.S. customers who purchased primary tickets from Ticketmaster and incurred service fees at significant venues since 2010, possibly affecting “hundreds of thousands if not millions” of individuals.
In contrast, Live Nation attorney Tim O’Mara argued against the class action status, suggesting that the harm experienced by customers varies significantly based on factors such as venue size and location. However, Judge Wu expressed skepticism about this defense, indicating that he does not support O’Mara’s perspective on this matter at this stage.
This lawsuit follows a recent ruling by Judge Wu allowing fans of Taylor Swift to proceed with their claims against Ticketmaster concerning issues that arose during the 2022 Eras Tour ticket sale, during which many fans reportedly faced prolonged waits and were ultimately unable to secure tickets.
Furthermore, Ticketmaster is currently grappling with multiple legal challenges surrounding its alleged monopolistic practices within the live event industry. The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Live Nation in May 2024, citing monopolistic abuses. In a separate matter, the Federal Trade Commission also took action against Ticketmaster, claiming violations related to batch ticket purchases that involved profiting from scalping activities.
This unfolding case underscores the mounting scrutiny Ticketmaster is under regarding its business practices, which many argue undermine consumer rights and fair competition in the ticketing market. As this legal battle progresses, it reflects broader concerns about monopolistic behavior in the live entertainment sector, illustrating a potential shift towards greater accountability for industry giants.