(a) Live event ticketing is again under scrutiny by the Federal Trade Commission for deceptive practices and anti-competitive activities following the merger of Live Nation with Ticketmaster. Online ticket reseller Stubhub controls 50% of the secondary market with Ticketmaster’s U.S. resale agency holding the second largest market share. The price of the average concert ticket has increased by more than 400% from 1981 to 2018, more than double the overall consumer price inflation rate. The question is, what’s wrong with the present system? How can it be improved, from an artist and consumer perspective? Should the ticket industry giant(s) be broken up under antitrust laws? What tactics are artists using to control ticket scalping?
