US Senators Grill LiveNation CEO At Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing

In a rare moment of bipartisan unity, Republican and Democratic senators took aim at TicketMaster’s parent company Live Nation Entertainment Inc. Tuesday, alleging the company is acting as a monopoly and hurting consumers.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, sarcastically congratulated Live Nation Entertainment Inc. President and CFO Joe Berchtold for what he called a “stunning achievement.” 

“You have brought together Republicans and Democrats in an absolutely unified cause,” Blumenthal said. “LiveNation-TicketMaster is the 800-pound gorilla here. You have clear dominance, monopolistic control. The whole concert ticket system is a mess, a monopolistic mess.” 

Read more: US Senators OK Manfred Extension on MLB Antitrust Issue

The Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearing on competition in the live entertainment industry followed the debacle around the company’s handling of the ticket sales for Taylor Swift’s 2023 tour.

In Nashville, the rising chorus of criticism against the company has piqued the interest of industry insiders and prompted artists to push back against the company’s grip on the live music industry. For example, country artist  Zach Bryan — who released a live album in December titled “All My Homies Hate Ticketmaster” — recently announced a tour free of the company’s influence in order to keep tickets affordable.