Swifties Rage as Ticketmaster Cancels Highly Anticipated Ticket Sale

NEW DELHI, India — Taylor Swift‘s fans faced disappointment on November 17 when Ticketmaster abruptly canceled a ticket sale for the pop star’s upcoming American tour scheduled for next year. This event was to mark Swift’s return to the stage following a hiatus since 2018.

Ticketmaster cited insufficient tickets and technical issues with its online platform after a troubled pre-release on November 15 as reasons for the cancellation. The company had initially encouraged fans to register for a pre-release, attempting to weed out bots and ticket scalpers amid high demand. Despite selling over 2 million tickets, many were soon found listed on resale sites at exorbitant prices.

The frustration has been echoed by Swift herself on social media, where she voiced her discontent with Ticketmaster’s handling of the situation. Additionally, Jonathan Skrmetti, Tennessee‘s Republican attorney general, announced plans to investigate the failed pre-release sale, given the state’s vibrant music industry.

On the same day, a discussion in Congress regarding Ticketmaster was initiated by the Senate antitrust subcommittee’s Democratic chair, who called for a hearing before the year’s end. This controversy unfolds as the U.S. Department of Justice has been examining Live Nation Entertainment (LNE), Ticketmaster’s parent company, for potential monopolistic practices.

In 2010, the DOJ approved Ticketmaster’s merger with Live Nation under several conditions meant to protect competition in primary ticketing. These included the divestiture of parts of its operations to competitors. However, recent analyses suggest that these protections may not have worked as intended.

Michael Carrier, a law professor at Rutgers University, noted that a market share exceeding 70% typically indicates control over a market. While a 2018 report from the Government Accountability Office stated Ticketmaster held more than 80% of the primary ticketing market as early as 2017, LNE’s Chief Financial Officer claims Ticketmaster’s actual market share is between 20% and 30%—a claim that raises questions about how LNE defines its industry footprint.

Monopolies themselves aren’t illegal, especially if they arise from superior products or business strategies. However, the perception of a monopoly becomes problematic when anti-competitive behavior to exclude rivals is identified. Ticketmaster has faced numerous accusations along these lines. Notably, during the mid-1990s, Pearl Jam alleged in collaboration with the DOJ that Ticketmaster’s acquisition of competitors hindered artists and fans, resulting in skyrocketing fees. That case was quietly dismissed in 1995.

This year, a class-action lawsuit was filed against Ticketmaster and LNE, claiming the companies use their market power to mandate arbitration with a new mediator perceived to have ties to Ticketmaster. However, the companies denied these allegations, arguing that plaintiffs were exaggerating the new mediator’s influence.

Under the current administration, there has been an increased focus on monopolies, including within the ticketing sector. President Joe Biden, known for advocating the breakup of major tech firms, has expressed concern about the rise of monopolies since he took office. With regulatory bodies more inclined to pursue antitrust cases, frustrated fans would need to present substantial evidence of anti-competitive practices to prompt action.

While inadequate service alone may not be grounds for legal intervention, the recent ticketing debacle highlights the detrimental effects of limited competition in the ticket sales market. A broader vendor landscape could pressure Ticketmaster to enhance its sales platform—an outcome that fans would welcome.