U.S. Senate Subpoenas Live Nation After Company Allegedly Blocks Access to Business Documents

U.S. Senate Subpoenas Live Nation After Company Allegedly Blocks Access to Business Documents

By Marcus Delano Thompson

December 14, 2024 at 10:44 PM

The U.S. Senate has issued a subpoena against Live Nation and Ticketmaster, following claims that the company has been uncooperative with an ongoing investigation into their business practices.

US Capitol at night

US Capitol at night

Senator Richard Blumenthal, chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, announced the subpoena, citing Live Nation's alleged "egregious stonewalling" of the committee's inquiry into consumer practices. The subpoena demands documents related to ticket pricing, fees, and resale details, following unfulfilled information requests dating back to March.

Live Nation EVP Dan Wall contested these allegations, stating the company has been cooperative and has already provided nearly 10,000 pages of documents, including over 2,000 emails and numerous commercial agreements. Wall explained that the impasse centers on the protection of "highly sensitive client information," including artist tour earnings, which the company was willing to share with standard confidentiality protections – a provision the Subcommittee reportedly refused to grant.

This development comes amid an intensifying Justice Department antitrust investigation into the Live Nation-Ticketmaster merger. The timing is particularly notable as it follows Live Nation's announcement of its "biggest quarter ever" in their recent financial reports.

CFO Joe Berchtold, who faced congressional questioning in January following the Taylor Swift Eras Tour pre-sale issues, has downplayed the significance of the DOJ probe, suggesting there isn't "any real news" regarding the investigation.

US Department of Justice building exterior

US Department of Justice building exterior

Michael Rapino in black shirt

Michael Rapino in black shirt

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