Live Nation, Ticketmaster begin defending merger

ByABC News
February 10, 2009, 11:09 PM

LOS ANGELES -- 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, Ticketmaster shareholders would receive 1.384 shares of Live Nation stock for each share of Ticketmaster they hold. Ticketmaster shareholders would hold 50.01% of the new company, while Live Nation shareholders would have 49.99%. Live Nation Chief Executive Michael Rapino would be the new company's CEO.

The companies estimated the value of the combined business at $2.5 billion and said the deal would help them save about $40 million annually. Assuming it gets approval by antitrust authorities, the companies hope to complete the merger in the second half of the year.

Live Nation and Ticketmaster argue that together they could better withstand the recession, sell more tickets and improve service to fans by bringing together their expertise in promotions and ticketing.

However, the merger comes just as Ticketmaster is under fire for recently redirecting people buying tickets to a Bruce Springsteen show from its regular website to its reselling subsidiary, TicketsNow. That site had more expensive seats above face value, even though face-value tickets were still available. New Jersey's attorney general launched an investigation, and a class-action lawsuit in Ontario claims Ticketmaster made a similar up-selling move in November for a Smashing Pumpkins concert.

Diller blamed the Springsteen incident on a "technical glitch" by a credit card company, and said the Canadian lawsuit was "without merit."