Christopher BarrettThe Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) has called for an investigation into Live Nation from the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority, suggesting it could be held responsible for engaging in anti-competitive behaviour.
The trade body said it recently provided evidence for a Business and Trade Committee inquiry into pricing, competition and consumer protection. The meeting involved input from Live Nation executive president touring international music Phil Bowdery and Ticketmaster UK (owned by Live Nation) MD Andrew Parsons.
The Live Nation representatives were presented with market analysis that had been sent to the Committee by the AIF. The data showed that of 23.1 million tickets on sale for arenas, stadiums and outdoor concerts taking place in the UK in 2025, Live Nation either directly or through affiliate companies (such as Cuffe & Taylor, DF Concerts and Metropolis) controls 66.4% of those shows.
During the Committee meeting its chair, Liam Byrne MP, said to Bowdery, “It looks like Live Nation Entertainment is promoting or marketing about 66% of the tickets in that space. Does that indicate substantial market power?”
He responded, “You are not counting the theatres and other smaller venues to get a broader brush. We certainly are very good at what we do. We have clients who are doing stadiums and arenas, but we also do a lot of theatres and clubs.”
Asked if Live Nation’s strong position in the market meant that it has the power to influence prices on a sustained and enduring basis, Bowdery said, “I do not see us as being dominant. We have a lot of competitors. It is a very low-margin business that we run. Globally, we are at about a 3% margin.”
Asked about Live Nation’s venue ownership, Parsons said that of the “approximately” 15 arenas in the UK, Ticketmaster’s parent company owned just one.
On the subject of ticketing, Byrne said the latest public data from the Competition Commission dates back to 2010, when it was found that Ticketmaster’s share of the UK market for primary retailing of live music tickets was 40% to 50%.
Asked if he had a sense of what that figure is today, Parsons said, “Unfortunately, I do not. It is notoriously difficult to get a realistic and accurate position, simply because most of the main competitors do not publish their figures. I would be clutching at straws and cannot give you an accurate representation of what that would be. We are talking about arenas at the moment, and I understand why that would be an area of focus, given that they can be seen as a significant part of the business. Of the 15 arenas, which are considered to be the main established touring buildings with a capacity of 10,000 or above, we provide ticketing services to five.”
In a statement issued after the committee meeting, AIF CEO John Rostron said, “Based on our analysis, we believe that there is evidence to suggest that Live Nation could be held responsible for engaging in anti-competitive behaviour and we therefore recommend that the Competition and Markets Authority investigate matters. While we encourage and support organisations and individuals putting on the biggest shows, we wish for the market to be fair where all participants -– whether major companies or independents -– have opportunities at all levels. That’s why we took this action.”
The session can be viewed HERE.
Live Nation was contacted for a response to AIF’s declaration.