Van Hollen Settles Ticketmaster-Live Nation Concerns

MADISON - Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen announced today that he has signed onto a consent decree concerning the Ticketmaster-Live Nation merger, along with the U.S. Department of Justice and the Attorneys General of sixteen other states.  The parties have reached an agreement to sell some of Ticketmaster's assets to promote competition in ticketing markets throughout the country.

"I am pleased that this agreement allows consumers to have choice when it comes to ticket providers,"  Attorney General Van Hollen said today.  "I hope that this agreement will benefit concert-goers in Wisconsin and nationwide."

Ticketmaster, the nation's largest ticketing provider plans to acquire Live Nation, the nation's largest concert promoter and a competitor in ticket sales.  The proposed divestiture would include a ticketing platform to Anschutz Entertainment Group, Inc., (AEG), the second largest promoter behind LN.  Ticketmaster must also divest its Paciolan Ticketing service to Comcast or another buyer suitable to the U.S. Department of Justice.  Paciolan provides ticketing services to over 100 sporting venues around the country.

The consent decree was filed today in federal court in the District of Columbia.  In addition to Wisconsin, Attorneys General representing Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Texas all signed onto the consent decree.

Assistant Attorney General Gwendolyn Cooley represented the State of Wisconsin in this matter.