May 7 (UPI) -- The U.S. government seeks information from Americans about practices or conduct deemed "anticompetitive" in the entertainment industry, officials announced Wednesday in a public inquiry.
The U.S. Justice Department will "continue to closely examine this market and look for opportunities where vigorous enforcement of the antitrust laws can lead to increased competition that makes tickets more affordable for fans while offering fairer compensation for artists," U.S. Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the department's Antitrust Division said in a release.
DOJ and the Federal Trade Commission launched its joint inquiry to identify "unfair and anticompetitive" practices, conduct or ticket marketing in the live concert and entertainment industry as part of an executive order signed March 31 by U.S. President Donald Trump that targeted unfair practices in the live entertainment market.
Trump's order, signed during an Oval Office event with musician Kid Rock, directed Attorney General Pam Bondi and the FTC chair to "ensure that competition laws are appropriately enforced" in the concert and entertainment industry.
It further directs the FTC to "rigorously enforce" the 2016 Obama-era Better Online Tickets Sales Act, and also directed Bondi, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and the FTC chair to identify specific legislative or regulatory solutions.
The BOTS Act allows the FTC to go against individuals and companies utilizing bots to buy concert tickets in bulk and resell them, and eliminated the practice of excess ticket scalping that raises prices for sporting events or theater shows.
"Many Americans feel like they are being priced out of live entertainment by scalpers, bots and other unfair and deceptive practices," FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson said Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the federal agencies invited U.S. citizens to submit public comment and other information on "harmful practices" and potential regulation or legislation to protect consumers, which officials say will be used to ready a report for the White House with listed recommendations.
Officials pointed to U.S. consumers, artists, small businesses, trade groups, industry analysts as scores of other entities invited to give feedback to authorities as affected groups by perceived anticompetitive practices in the industry.
The federal government, along with 40 state and district attorneys general, is currently litigating a civil antitrust lawsuit brought on in 2024 against Live Nation Entertainment's subsidiary Ticketmaster for alleged "monopolization" and other "unlawful conduct" that allegedly thwarted competition in markets across America's live entertainment markets.
The public, meanwhile, will have 60 days to submit comments no later than July 6.
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