In a dramatic escalation of legal challenges facing the live events giant, Live Nation Entertainment and its subsidiary Ticketmaster have been hit with a substantial collective lawsuit in the UK. The action alleges a systematic and deliberate strategy to control and inflate prices on the secondary ticket market, ultimately costing British music and sports fans millions.
The Core of the Allegations
The lawsuit, filed with the Competition Appeal Tribunal, paints a picture of an organisation exploiting its dominant market position. It claims that rather than simply operating the primary sales platform, Live Nation and Ticketmaster actively facilitated and profited from the resale of tickets at vastly inflated prices through their own secondary sites, such as Get Me In! and Seatwave before their 2018 integration.
A 'Two-Faced' Operation
The claim argues the companies engaged in a 'two-faced' operation. On one side, they publicly advocated for fans and implemented measures to combat touts on primary sales. On the other, they allegedly enabled and encouraged the very same speculative reselling on their own secondary platforms, collecting fees on both the initial and the resold ticket, effectively double-dipping at the expense of the consumer.
Quoted Accusation
"They were talking out of both sides of their mouth," said a legal representative familiar with the case. "Publicly, they were the consumer champion fighting touts. Privately, their business model was designed to profit from the inflated prices on the secondary market that they claimed to oppose."
Seeking Justice for Millions
The opt-out collective action seeks to represent anyone in the UK who bought a resold ticket for a live event through certain secondary platforms between October 2015 and the present. If successful, it could see compensation awarded to millions of people, potentially running into hundreds of millions of pounds.
The Corporate Response
Live Nation has previously defended its practices, stating that its secondary market sites provided a safe, secure, and transparent platform for fans. The company has consistently denied any allegations of anti-competitive behaviour. A spokesperson is expected to vigorously contest these latest claims.
Broader Industry Scrutiny
This lawsuit adds to the intense regulatory and public scrutiny facing Live Nation and Ticketmaster, particularly in the UK and US. Critics have long argued that the company's vertical integration—controlling everything from artist promotion and venue operation to ticket sales—stifles competition and harms consumers. This legal action represents a significant attempt to hold them accountable for their role in the controversial secondary ticket market.
