LOS ANGELES (AP) — Concert promoter Live Nation Inc. and ticketing giant Ticketmaster Entertainment Inc. confirmed their merger plans Tuesday and got right to work addressing antitrust concerns that have taken center stage. Ticketmaster Chairman Barry Diller, to be chairman of the new company — which would be called Live Nation Entertainment — sought to dispel the notion that the deal would lead to higher ticket prices. “Ticketmaster does not set prices. Live Nation does not set ticket prices. Artists set the prices,” he said, without mentioning the ticket surcharges Ticketmaster relies on for much of its revenue. Under the deal announced Tuesday, each Ticketmaster share would be replaced by 1.384 shares of Live Nation stock.–Contact The Daily Reveille’s news staff at [email protected]
Live Nation, Ticketmaster defend merger
February 10, 2009