Live Nation President Apologies For Taylor Swift Ticket Debacle, Defends Competition At Senate Hearing
deadline.comThe breakdown of Ticketmaster’s sale of Taylor Swift tickets last year triggered a high-profile Senate hearing on Tuesday, as a top executive from parent Live Nation Entertainment found himself apologizing for the debacle yet defending competition in the industry.
Joe Berchtold, president and CFO of Live Nation Entertainment, told the Senate Judiciary Committee, “We apologize to the fans.
We apologize to Taylor Swift. we need to do better and we will do better.” He blamed the breakdown on a bot attack, while pledging to work with senators to address issues in the industry.
But lawmakers are questioning Live Nation Entertainment’s adherence to a consent decree that governs its 2011 merger with Ticketmaster, a combination that united promotion, venue and ticketing, and raised concerns that the company would use its market power to stifle competition from rivals.
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