UK: Festivals ask competition watchdog to investigate Live Nation

Concert organizer Live Nation is facing calls for an investigation by the British competition watchdog over concerns that it is too dominant in the music festival sector, controlling more than a quarter of the market, The Guardian reported.

The Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) called on the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to investigate the fact that Live Nation now owns or controls 25.6% of UK festivals that have a capacity of more than 5,000 attendees.

In order to illustrate the point, the AIF has created a map that highlights precisely how many UK festivals are now owned by Live Nation.

One festival organizer, who asked to remain anonymous, said this was preventing acts from playing as much as they could.

He said he been unable to book even small acts, paid less than £500 (US$643.54) per appearance, because they were locked into exclusivity deals to play only Live Nation events.

“Nobody wins from that,” he said. “We’ve all got an interest in the bands and the scene flourishing. Muse, U2, Madonna, they all learned their trade by playing festivals where they can.”

Full Content: The Guardian

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