Judge says Taylor Swift fans can amend lawsuit against Live Nation, Ticketmaster
Fans of Taylor Swift returned to court on Thursday as they continued their battle with Ticketmaster regarding its ticket-buying system. This legal dispute has potential nationwide consequences for consumers' rights.
In Los Angeles, a federal court conducted a hearing for a lawsuit filed by 355 “Swifties” from 30 different states. These plaintiffs claim that Live Nation and its affiliate company, Ticketmaster, breached antitrust and consumer protection regulations.
The fans allege that Live Nation-Ticketmaster is involved in racketeering and colluding to inflate the cost of concert tickets.
Plaintiff Joe Akmajian questioned, "Why are we charged with these fees? And why are the ticket prices getting adjusted just when we’re buying them?" He also pointed out, "How come tickets sell out within 10 minutes only to resurface on a marketplace owned by Ticketmaster too?"
Attorneys representing the plaintiffs, John Genga and Jennifer Kinder, conducted a press briefing on Thursday, accusing the ticket vendor of deliberately delaying the legal proceedings for an extended period.
“Even though Ticketmaster continually tries to postpone, obstruct, and prevent consumers from accessing the civil justice system, we remain steadfast,” stated Kinder. “We’re still here, standing strong. We won’t disappear.Swifties have never been as unified as they are now.”
On Thursday, U.S. District Judge George Wu stated that he would permit the plaintiffs to revisit the court following an amendment of their complaint to provide greater details.
Live Nation-Ticketmaster stated in a release that 'the matter has been closed.' They added that if Kinder does not submit an Amended Complaint within thirty days, ‘the issue will be resolved.’
Kinder disputed that assertion.
The release of tickets for Swift's "Eras Tour" prompted government scrutiny of antitrust laws, including a Senate hearing at which Live Nation president and Chief Financial Officer Joe Berchtold apologized for the fiasco.
In the past, the company has said that it does not set ticket prices, saying the artists do. Prices tend to skyrocket in the resale market, according to the company.
“I remain equally committed today as I have always been, since I genuinely believe that live entertainment ought to be accessible to all people, rather than being exclusive to only a select few,” stated Julie Barfuss, who is one of the key plaintiffs.
Last year, the Justice Department initiated legal action aimed at splitting Live Nation and Ticketmaster apart. Following this, an additional 40 states decided to participate in that lawsuit.
ABC News provided input for this report.
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