New Hampshire joins antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation

AND NEW HAMPSHIRE STATE LEADERS SAY THE WORK TO GIVE CUSTOMERS áMORE OPTIONS AT CHEAPER PRICES.. IS JUST BEGINNING.. <NH FANS ARE SEEING MUCH HIGHER MARKS UP THAN MANY OTHER FANS AROUND THE COUNTRY.> THAT'S WHY NEW HAMPSHIRE ATTORNEY GENERAL JOHN FORMELLA SAYS THE GRANITE STATE IS JOINING THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.. AND ááTHIRTY OTHER STATES.. IN FILING AN ANTI TRUST LAWSUIT AGAINST TICKET MASTER AND IT'S OWNER.. LIVE NATION ENTERTAINMENT. THE COMPLAINT ALLEGES THE COMPANY IS MONOPOLIZING CONCERT TICKET SALES. <BECAUSE OF THE MARKET POWER THEY'VE GAINED, THEY'VE LOCKED UP AGREEMENTS WITH VENDORS, WITH ARTISTS, AND THEY CONTROL THE TICKET PROCESS. > THE LAWSUIT ACCUSES LIVE NATION OF INTIMIDATING SMALLER PROMOTERS AND PLAYING A PART IN LIMITING VENUES TICKETING SERVICE CHOICES. SOME PEOPLE SAY THEY'RE JUST LOOKING FOR FEWER FEES AND LOWER PRICES.. <WHEN IT'S JUST ONE COMPANY THAT HAS THE CONTROL THERE'S NO INCENTIVE TO GET BETTER> <THEY'RE FRUSTRATED WITH HIGH PRICES, THEYRE FRUSTRATED WITH TICKET MASTER AND HOW IT WORKS, THEY'RE FRUSTRATED WITH A LACK OF CUSTOMER SERVICE. SO I THINK PEOPLE WILL RESPOND VERY POSITIVELY TO THIS LAWSUIT> THE LAWSUIT CALLS FOR LIVE NATION TO DIVEST TICKET MASTER, STOP THEIR ALLEGED ANTICOMPETITIVE PRACTICES AND GIVE MONEY BACK TO FANS THEY SAY WERE OVERCHARGED. <THIS IS A UNIQUE CASE IN THAT THERE IS BROAD, BIPARTISAN AGREEMENT THAT WE WANT STRUCTURAL RELIEF. WE WANT LIVE NATION TO BE FORCED TO SELL TICKET MASTER. > IN A STATEMENT -- LIVE NATION ENTERTAINMENT SAYS THIS LAWSUIT: "IGNORES EVERYTHING THAT IS ACTUALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR HIGHER TICKET PRICES, FROM RISING PRODUCTION COSTS, TO ARTIST POPULARITY, TO 24/7 ONLINE TICKET SCALPING THAT REVEALS THE PUBLIC'S WILLINGNESS TO PAY FAR MORE THAN PRIMARY TICKET PRICES." ADDING... "WE ARE ANOTHER CASUALTY OF THIS ADMINISTRATION'S DECISION TO TURN OVER ANTITRUST ENFORCEMENT TO A POPULIST URGE THAT SIMPLY REJECTS HOW ANTITRUST LAW WORKS." LIVE NATION SAYS IT