SALT LAKE CITY — A federal jury in New York ruled that Live Nation and its subsidiary Ticketmaster operated an illegal, anti-competitive monopoly over major concert venues.
The ruling came after a five-week trial and is a setback for the live entertainment giant.
But what does it mean for those of us who buy tickets online?
And in particular, what does it mean for college-aged students who say they’re often priced out of their favorite shows due to those excess fees?”
FOX 13 News caught up with several students on Wednesday on the University of Utah campus.
Junior Mikey White said it makes trying to see a live concert frustrating and way too expensive.
“You think it’s gonna be a certain price on the website and then you get to the end at check out and it’s just so much more from the fees," he said.
Sophomore Molly Baudenzistel said she agrees.
“It is frustrating, like especially for someone who’s in college and doesn’t have as much money as normal people do."
Freshman Charlotte Ferrier said she wants her money to go primarily to the artist.
“I want to go there as a fan and show my appreciation for their music for whatever they’re showing live. And I feel like if I’m looking on the website and seeing all these fees, like 20 to 40% of it is fees, which just doesn’t seem fair.”
A federal jury in Manhattan essentially agreed on excess fees tacked onto tickets sold through Ticketmaster for Live Nation concerts.
Darin Piccoli said the jury ruling is a good first step.
“It’s pulling back the levers that make it so anti-competitive. Because Live Nation’s got deep, deep pockets.”
Piccoli is co-owner of the State Room Presents, a Salt Lake City-based concert promoter and live music venue operator.
“We’re constantly educating people, we’re telling people to go straight to the artist's website, that’s the easiest place to go.”
The State Room Presents has what’s called “all-in” ticket pricing.
Piccoli said that means while there may be fees attached to their tickets, the price you see online is the price you pay.
“It’s been, I think, a lot of education for everybody out there for ticketing, right? We all buy tickets to the mammoth, or concerts or plays and there’s a lot of frustration out there.”
University of Utah student Sydney Cakewell said she agrees.
“I feel that when you’re buying a concert ticket it should be supporting, you know, the actual concert and not a company that’s controlling all the profits buying tickets.”
Darin Piccoli said the jury ruling against Live Nation and Ticketmaster will hopefully be the beginning of reducing some of those excess fees.
“So yeah, it’s time to break it up! They are the number one, right? You got to start at the top and hopefully everything trickles down from there. I mean, it’s good for everybody. It’s good for consumers, it’s good for promoters," said Piccoli.
