Ticketmaster & Live Nation Confirm Merger

In a story that will affect music-loving consumers for many years to come, ticketing giants Live Nation and Ticketmaster have confirmed their intention to merge. Both companies have come under scrutiny lately for their mishandling of Phish and Bruce Springsteen onsales, but no one really saw this merger coming before last Tuesday’s Wall Street Journal article.

Luckily, this merger isn’t fait acompli yet. We’ve got anti-trust regulations in this country and we hope the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission doesn’t allow the #1 and #2 ticket sellers in the nation to merge. New York’s senior Senator Chuck Schumer is already on the case:

“This merger would give a giant, new entity unrivaled power over concertgoers and the prices they pay to see their favorite artists and bands,” the senator said in an e-mailed statement. “It must be viewed skeptically and scrutinized with a fine-toothed comb by the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission.” [NYT]

I’ve never voiced an objection to a merger before, but I’ll be writing Senator Schumer about this deal that is sure to lead to even more exorbitant ticket prices. I don’t see a scenario where the consumer doesn’t get the shaft coming out of this merger regardless of what the CEOs of Ticketmaster and Live Nation may say. Bruce Springsteen agrees with me, do you?