A federal judge in California has given the green light for a major lawsuit against Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation, to move forward as a class action. On December 12, U.S. District Judge George Wu ruled that millions of consumers can join the case, which claims the companies have overcharged concertgoers since 2010. Filed in 2022, the lawsuit alleges Live Nation monopolized the ticketing market, failed to clearly disclose ticket prices, and violated antitrust laws by driving up costs.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission and several states are seeking damages covering more than 15 years and the sale of over 400 million tickets nationwide. Live Nation and Ticketmaster argued that ticket sales across roughly 1,000 venues were too different to handle in one case, but the court disagreed, allowing the claims to proceed together.
The lawsuit follows years of growing public frustration with Ticketmaster, especially after the chaotic 2022 ticket sale for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. More recently, backlash flared again in November after Ticketmaster admitted a pricing typo led to inflated ticket prices for Olivia Dean’s upcoming tour. Dean addressed the issue on Instagram on November 21, warning fans about scams and overcharging, adding fuel to the ongoing debate over ticket pricing and transparency.
This blog is intended to provide information to the general public and to practitioners about developments that may impact Oregon class actions.
