Live Nation, Ticketmaster Merger Risks Antitrust Scrutiny

The two of the biggest forces in live music today — Live Nation and Ticketmaster — are set to merge into a single behemoth of ticketing and promotion that will call itself "Live Nation Entertainment."

The new powerhouse may be able to run from an unpopular brand — "Ticketmaster" is for many synonymous with niggling "convenience" fees and the stress-inducing process of vying for limited supplies of concert tickets, especially since no method of matching supply with demand seems particularly fair.

But it cannot hide from the antitrust scrutiny the deal is virtually certain to attract from governmental agencies since the combination could reduce competition and result in higher ticket prices.

Article via Wired.