One year ago this month, the Senate Antitrust Subcommittee took a major step toward shedding light on a competition issue that has long plagued millions of consumers: Live Nation Ticketmaster's stranglehold on live events. Ta.

You would think that much progress would have been made if it were a bipartisan issue that demanded action from Americans of all stripes: Democrats, Republicans, and independents. But a year later, we are still calling for action.

Live events bring people together, but for years, the actual fans have taken a backseat. Live Nation Ticketmaster, formed through a 2010 merger, created a dominant conglomerate with unprecedented control over the live ticket market, and as a result used monopoly power to establish its market position. I have been using it.

The result was a flurry of shocking headlines and frustrated fans forced to vent on social media. They all have a consistent theme. Ticketmaster over-promised and under-delivered, the technology was destroyed, and no one was happy outside of their service. Highly paid CEO.

Last January, just months after Ticketmaster's disastrous start to Taylor Swift's Elas Tour, hundreds of thousands of fans suffered hours-long waits, outdated technology, and an incredibly heartbreaking experience. ), the Senate Judiciary Committee reconsidered the merger and convened a hearing on whether Live. Nation Ticketmaster is engaging in anticompetitive conduct that many industry observers had predicted.

Three years ago, the Department of Justice had already discovered that Live Nation was Ticketmaster.repeatedly violatedBut now, in the wake of such a public failure, his actions have also attracted the attention of Congress.

The hearing shined a much-needed spotlight on the issue and raised hopes for new bipartisan action, including whether to dissolve the company.Immediately after that, news organizations began reporting report The Department of Justice announced that it is investigating whether Ticketmaster's actions violate antitrust laws. Specifically, regulators will investigate whether Ticketmaster is abusing its control over the marketplace to limit the ability of venues and artists to collaborate with industry competitors, ultimately harming consumers. There were reports that there was a possibility that

To date, no concrete steps have yet been taken to end Ticketmaster's monopoly. Ticketmaster continues to dominate the live events industry, to the detriment of fans and free market competition. Several new bills have been introduced in Congress, but until Ticketmaster is dismantled, no legislation will truly reform the system.

In fact, certain bills are supported by Ticketmaster itself, and by focusing on small, band-aid problems that are actually symptoms of the broken system in which Ticketmaster thrives, it distracts from the real problem. I'm trying to look away.According to estimates provided to the Senate Antitrust Subcommittee, the company now 70% control We are shrinking the ticket sales market for live events and denying fans access to competitive alternative tickets.ticketmaster itself announced Last year, it managed a record amount of 600 million tickets.Furthermore, the financial records Public competitor opinion also shows that Ticketmaster is one of the major players in the US secondary resale market.

Meanwhile, fans continue to suffer under Ticketmaster's broken system, including outdated technology and constant roadblocks that have pushed fans to breaking point. Despite facing public scrutiny over the Taylor Swift debacle, Ticketmaster has yet to take any meaningful steps to resolve the issue. This was especially evident during the recent pre-sales for Olivia Rodrigo's GUTS tour, where fans were once again faced with outdated technology and limited access to tickets, either paying high prices on the resale market or simply canceling their plans. Completely abandoned.

We are encouraged by last year's efforts to end this dominance, but lasting change will require sustained and strategic pressure. That's why I helped launch the bipartisan Fun Fairness Coalition. So that ordinary Americans across the political spectrum can have real influence in this discussion. To draw attention to this broken market, we launched The Monopoly, a satirical band that highlights the absurdity of Ticketmaster's greed and power.

And fans are listening.

Since its launch in November, the Fan Fairness Coalition has helped live event fans across the country send more than 72,000 letters to members of Congress on both sides of the aisle, demanding real action to fix this issue. Ta. One year after his Senate Judiciary hearing, it's clear that fans are more committed than ever to fixing this broken system.

As an antitrust attorney who has served for many years on the Senate Judiciary's Antitrust Subcommittee and as an antitrust enforcement officer with the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice's Antitrust Division, I know firsthand the damage that monopolies cause. Free market competition is essential to protect both fans and performers. Lowering costs for consumers, giving artists and venues more choice, and providing better access and technology for everyone – none of this is possible without a vibrant market. Ticketmaster's malicious conduct is above all an antitrust issue and will have a serious negative impact on fans across the country.

Americans are tired of dealing with a system that is against them, and are increasingly making their voices heard. This is not a Republican or Democratic issue, but an equity issue that affects live event patrons in every corner of the country.

That's enough. It is long past time to finish what our government started, dismantle Live Nation Ticketmaster, and bring real competition back to the live events ecosystem.

Mark Meador is the Chairman of the Fan Fairness Coalition and a partner at Kressin Meador. He is an antitrust authority with federal government (FTC and DOJ), client, and legislative experience. He previously served as Deputy Chief Counsel for Antitrust and Competition Policy to Senator Mike Lee.

The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of The Daily Caller.