Live Nation Entertainment on Thursday asked a federal judge in New York to dismiss motions filed by several states alleging that the live event promoter has harmed concertgoers by stifling competition through its ticketing arm, Ticketmaster.
Live Nation is seeking to dismiss part of a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice and a coalition of states in May. The plaintiffs seek to break up Live Nation and allege that the concert promoter and Ticketmaster illegally inflated concert ticket prices and harmed artists.
Last month, several states joined the lawsuit, bringing the total to 39 states and the District of Columbia. Two-thirds of them also added triple-wage claims on behalf of event-goers in their states.
Live Nation has asked to dismiss the allegations, saying that allegations that it used threats, retaliation and long-term contracts to prevent concert venues from using competing ticketing services “have almost nothing to do with consumers or the ticket prices they pay.”
“The premise of their complaint seems to be that in a world where their marginal costs have fallen, places will respond by lowering prices for free to consumers rather than reaping the extra profit,” the company said.
Live Nation also urged U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian in Manhattan to dismiss a charge that it prevents artists from using concert promotion services to book venues it owns, saying the law does not require it to allow rival concert promoters to rent its venues.
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