Live Nation issued subpoena regarding ticketing, fees by US Senate panel

WASHINGTON, Nov 20 – Live Nation (LYV.N) and its subsidiary Ticketmaster is being sent a subpoena for documents regarding ticket pricing, fees and secondary sales, a U.S. Senate panel said on Monday.

Ticketmaster, which for decades has been criticized for hardball tactics and high prices, took a new round of rhetorical beatings around this time last year after botched ticket sales for Taylor Swift’s “Eras” tour.

“Live Nation has egregiously stonewalled my Subcommittee’s inquiry into its abusive consumer practices — making the subpoena necessary,” Senator Richard Blumenthal, Democratic chair of the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, said in a statement.

In a cover letter that accompanied the subpoena, Blumenthal said Live Nation had failed to fully comply with document requests sent in March. The letter was dated Nov 16.

A Live Nation spokesperson said the company had provided “extensive information” to the subcommittee and met with staff several times.

“In order to provide additional information requested about artist and client compensation and other similarly sensitive matters, we’ve asked for standard confidentiality measures. Thus far the Subcommittee has refused to provide such assurances, but if and when those protections are in place we will provide additional information on these issues,” the spokesperson said.

The subpoena would require the company to turn over internal documents and communications related to ticket prices, annual financial data regarding fees, the ticket resale business as well as its relationship with artists and venues.

Reporting by Diane Bartz; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and David Gregorio

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