Trump reportedly handed a golden ticket to Ticketmaster right before March antitrust trial
Reviled ticketing and concert monopoly Live Nation got the good news after an Oval Office meeting, according to a new report from The Wall Street Journal .
Donald Trump reportedly intervened to end the Department of Justice's investigation into Ticketmaster owner Live Nation, according to the Wall Street Journal. The case, which involved issues like bait-and-switch ticket pricing and monopolizing sales to US concert venues, had been ongoing for years. The President met with Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino in the White House in March, just days before a high-profile trial that could have broken up the company.
During their conversation, Trump questioned why the DOJ-Ticketmaster suit hadn't been settled, and then ordered the DOJ to drop the most stringent measures involved. Industry insiders found the move baffling, as Live Nation will maintain its monopoly and continue with practices that have earned Ticketmaster a negative reputation among performers and music fans.
The antitrust suit had received bipartisan support from lawmakers concerned about the high prices fans pay for concert tickets. Despite calls for new legislation to prevent similar actions by other companies, Live Nation remains free to continue its practices.
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