Press ReleaseBipartisan2026-04-21

Klobuchar, Warren, Colleagues Urge Court to Scrutinize DOJ’s Live Nation-Ticketmaster Settlement

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This press release from Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) was published on 2026-04-21 and titled "Klobuchar, Warren, Colleagues Urge Court to Scrutinize DOJ’s Live Nation-Ticketmaster Settlement". It focuses on the environment and touches on foreign policy.

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Klobuchar, Warren, Colleagues Urge Court to Scrutinize DOJ’s Live Nation-Ticketmaster Settlement WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren are leading four of their colleagues in urging the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York to use its authority under the Tunney Act to closely scrutinize the Department of Justice-s proposed settlement with Live Nation and Ticketmaster to ensure the Department made its decision based on the public interest. The Senators warned the deal fails to restore competition and protect fans, artists, and independent venues. There is credible evidence that Ticketmaster controls more than 70 percent of all major concert venues with exclusive ticketing contracts, that Live Nation controls 80 percent of the "major concert amphitheaters" market, and that Live Nation is the dominant promoter with between 55 and 63 percent of the market between promoters and major concert venues. "Fans, artists, and independent venues have suffered for too long under Live Nation-Ticketmaster-s monopoly control of live events," the Senators wrote. "The recent settlement between Live Nation-Ticketmaster and the Justice Department fails to address these fundamental issues and stops far short of prying open this industry to new competition, innovation, and choice for consumers." The Senators specifically raised concerns about the circumstances surrounding the agreement, including the ousting of Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust Gail Slater, the previous firings of Slater-s top aides, and reports of political interference and lack of transparency in the settlement process. "The facts surrounding the settlement also point toward a deal made in response to political pressure rather than the public interest," the Senators wrote. "This settlement appears to be part of a larger pattern of Justice Department officials reportedly overruling antitrust enforcers for political reasons." Along with Klobuchar and Warren, the letter was signed by Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Peter Welch (D-VT). Last month, Klobuchar introduced the Antitrust Accountability and Transparency Act to strengthen review of antitrust settlements and ensure they protect consumers, workers, and small businesses. The full text of the letter is below and can be found here . Your honor: Fans, artists, and independent venues have suffered for too long under Live Nation-Ticketmaster-s monopoly control of live events. Fans looking to buy tickets to their favorite shows and concerts often face long online queues and technical problems along with high prices and fees. Artists find themselves pressured to sign up with Live Nation-s promotion business to ensure they can play the hundreds of popular venues owned or controlled by Live Nation or ticketed by Ticketmaster. Live Nation leverages its control of artist promotions to pressure the venues it doesn-t own or operate into using Ticketmaster for online ticketing for fear of missing out on popular shows. These multiple monopolies leave the industry vulnerable to Live Nation-Ticketmaster-s anticompetitive actions that cement its position as the gatekeeper for live events and box out competitors. The recent settlement between Live Nation-Ticketmaster and the Justice Department fails to address these fundamental issues and stops far short of prying open this industry to new competition, innovation, and choice for consumers. That is why we write to urge the Court to use its authority under the Tunney Act to closely scrutinize this settlement-including the concerning facts surrounding its submission. Mere behavioral safeguards like those in the proposed settlement are insufficient to remedy Live Nation-Ticketmaster-s monopoly power and-standing alone-are not in the public interest. That is precisely why the Justice Department and a bipartisan coalition of 40 state attorneys general specifically demanded that Live Nation divest Ticketmaster when filing this lawsuit. The Justice Department had already tried to rein in Live Nation-s anticompetitive conduct through behavioral remedies, like those in the proposed settlement, for years prior to filing this lawsuit. As the court knows, Live Nation was allowed to acquire Ticketmaster in 2010 only aft

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Klobuchar, Warren, Colleagues Urge Court to Scrutinize DOJ’s Live Nation-Ticketmaster Settlement WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren are leading four of their colleagues in urging the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York to use its authority under the Tunney Act to closely scrutinize the Department of Justice-s proposed settlement with Live Nation and Ticketmaster to ensure the Department made its decision based on the public interest. The Senators warned the deal fails to restore competition and protect fans, artists, and independent venues. There is credible evidence that Ticketmaster controls more than 70 percent of all major concert venues with exclusive ticketing contracts, that Live Nation controls 80 percent of the "major concert amphitheaters" market, and that Live Nation is the dominant promoter with between 55 and 63 percent of the market between promoters and major concert venues. "Fans, artists, and independent venues have suffered for too long under Live Nation-Ticketmaster-s monopoly control of live events," the Senators wrote. "The recent settlement between Live Nation-Ticketmaster and the Justice Department fails to address these fundamental issues and stops far short of prying open this industry to new competition, innovation, and choice for consumers." The Senators specifically raised concerns about the circumstances surrounding the agreement, including the ousting of Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust Gail Slater, the previous firings of Slater-s top aides, and reports of political interference and lack of transparency in the settlement process. "The facts surrounding the settlement also point toward a deal made in response to political pressure rather than the public interest," the Senators wrote. "This settlement appears to be part of a larger pattern of Justice Department officials reportedly overruling antitrust enforcers for political reasons." Along with Klobuchar and Warren, the letter was signed by Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Peter Welch (D-VT). Last month, Klobuchar introduced the Antitrust Accountability and Transparency Act to strengthen review of antitrust settlements and ensure they protect consumers, workers, and small businesses. The full text of the letter is below and can be found here . Your honor: Fans, artists, and independent venues have suffered for too long under Live Nation-Ticketmaster-s monopoly control of live events. Fans looking to buy tickets to their favorite shows and concerts often face long online queues and technical problems along with high prices and fees. Artists find themselves pressured to sign up with Live Nation-s promotion business to ensure they can play the hundreds of popular venues owned or controlled by Live Nation or ticketed by Ticketmaster. Live Nation leverages its control of artist promotions to pressure the venues it doesn-t own or operate into using Ticketmaster for online ticketing for fear of missing out on popular shows. These multiple monopolies leave the industry vulnerable to Live Nation-Ticketmaster-s anticompetitive actions that cement its position as the gatekeeper for live events and box out competitors. The recent settlement between Live Nation-Ticketmaster and the Justice Department fails to address these fundamental issues and stops far short of prying open this industry to new competition, innovation, and choice for consumers. That is why we write to urge the Court to use its authority under the Tunney Act to closely scrutinize this settlement-including the concerning facts surrounding its submission. Mere behavioral safeguards like those in the proposed settlement are insufficient to remedy Live Nation-Ticketmaster-s monopoly power and-standing alone-are not in the public interest. That is precisely why the Justice Department and a bipartisan coalition of 40 state attorneys general specifically demanded that Live Nation divest Ticketmaster when filing this lawsuit. The Justice Department had already tried to rein in Live Nation-s anticompetitive conduct through behavioral remedies, like those in the proposed settlement, for years prior to filing this lawsuit. As the court knows, Live Nation was allowed to acquire Ticketmaster in 2010 only aft