Christopher BarrettPRS for Music has confirmed it is taking legal action against Live Nation to address what it claims is the promoter giant’s continual failure to correctly report the full price consumers have paid for VIP tickets and other ticket packages.
The performing rights royalty collection society, which works on behalf of songwriters and publishers, is suing Live Nation in the Intellectual Property division of the UK’s High Court, including its UK arm, Festival Republic, DF Concerts and two of its festivals.
The action is understood to centre around the live music licensing tariff used by PRS and PPL’s joint venture in the UK, and how VIP ticket receipts should be accounted for in licensing payment calculations
A spokesperson for PRS for Music said, “Live music venues and promoters are required to pay music creators, based on a percentage of the price paid by the consumer, and to adhere to the reporting standards set out in PRS’s applicable tariff. This includes full and accurate reporting of all ticket types, including VIP tickets and other ticket bundles and packages.
“The vast majority of promoters and venues comply with the terms of their licence. We have commenced legal action to address Live Nation’s continual failure to correctly report the full price consumers have paid for VIP tickets and other ticket packages. Disregard of these core requirements by a company of Live Nation’s size is entirely unacceptable and means songwriters and composers are not paid all the royalties they are due.
“PRS for Music stands firm in its mission to protect its members’ rights and create a level playing field for all event promoters and venues that honour their licensing obligations. We urge the whole live music sector to embrace the need for greater transparency, ensuring that music creators and the live industry can thrive together ”
Live Nation is yet to respond to requests for comment.