“Some monopolies are just so entrenched, and some problems so difficult to address, that they require decisive and effective solutions.” Those are the words of Jonathan Kanter, who runs the Department of Justice’s antitrust division. He was talking about Live Nation, which the Washington Post describes as “a concert promoter, artist manager, venue owner, and ticket seller and reseller,” among other things. Which requires a pause.
It’s always interesting when antitrust types bemoan what they imagine is a “monopoly.” Applied to Live Nation, what became the latter was founded in 1996. That the DOJ had no interest in it then is a statement of the obvious. The Justice Department only discovers what it deems “monopoly,” but that most sentient beings cheer as wildly successful, well after the fact.
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