“We welcome the Committee highlighting the excessive concentration of power in the live music industry and support calls for the CMA to undertake a full market investigation. The Government should carefully reflect on the findings of now two* parliamentary reports raising concerns about competition and Live Nation’s dominant position in the live entertainment sector before pursuing any legislative measures that could further entrench monopolistic or predatory practices.
Fans benefit most from a ticketing market that is open, competitive and transparent. This is exactly why viagogo is investing in open distribution technology that enables trusted ticketing platforms to work together, giving fans more choice and improving transparency around ticket resale.
Resale restrictions such as price caps risk giving greater control to the Live Nation and Ticketmaster monopoly, driving prices higher and leaving fans with fewer options and greater risk. The government has a responsibility to ensure any policy proposals do not cause consumer harm.”
* Report 1 – Culture, Media and Sport Committee report on Fan led review of live and electronic music: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/52645/documents/292946/default/
Report 2 – Business and Trade Committee House of Commons report on Competition and market functioning in the UK live music industry: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/53229/documents/297817/default
BACKGROUND:
Live Nation concerns raised by Business and Trade Committee inquiry:
- The scale and integrated nature of Live Nation’s business model can make it difficult for artists and managers to operate independently of its ecosystem.
- Live Nation uses long-term agreements with restrictive exclusivity terms that make access to its venues contingent on participation in its festivals (or vice versa), incentivising artists to consolidate touring arrangements with the company and reducing opportunities for competing promoters and events.
- Independent promoters alleged that venues owned or controlled by
- Live Nation favour in-house promotion businesses and integrated ticketing arrangements impeding competition.
- Live Nation controls a majority of primary ticket sales (58% of the 23.1 million tickets on sale in 2025, increasing to 66% if sales controlled by its affiliate companies are included).
- There has been a detrimental impact on the grassroots music industry.
- Particular attention should be paid to the committees view that a significant proportion of these were submitted anonymously or confidentially due to fear of reprisal primarily from Live Nation. This in itself raises concerns about Live Nation’s dominant and controlling market position and the climate of fear this may have created in the industry.