A lawsuit has been filed by Fanimal, Inc. against Live Nation Entertainment and its subsidiary Ticketmaster, claiming that their dominance in the ticketing industry unlawfully excluded the startup from both primary and secondary ticketing markets. The complaint was lodged on December 30 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, where Fanimal accuses the companies of breaching Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act.
Fanimal, which boasted over 250,000 users and a projected valuation surpassing $100 million, asserts that it was forced to cease operations and sell its assets due to anticompetitive practices imposed by the defendants. These practices allegedly included exclusive venue contracts, retaliatory actions against venues seeking alternatives, and restrictions that rerouted resale activities to Ticketmaster.
The company is pursuing damages that could be tripled, along with legal fees, and is requesting a jury trial. This lawsuit emerges amid increasing antitrust investigations into Live Nation and Ticketmaster, which are already facing related litigation, including a consumer class action and a federal antitrust case initiated by the U.S. Department of Justice.