The Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) is urging the U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to open a formal probe into Live Nation, arguing that the live-music giant’s grip on major shows has crossed the line into monopoly territory.
“Based on our analysis, we believe that there is evidence to suggest that Live Nation could be held responsible for engaging in anti-competitive behaviour and we therefore recommend that the Competition and Markets Authority investigate matters.,” says AIF CEO John Rostron. “While we encourage and support organisations and individuals putting on the biggest shows, we wish for the market to be fair where all participants – whether major companies or independents – have opportunities at all levels. That’s why we took this action.”
Two-thirds of big-ticket shows under one roof, AIF says
In evidence submitted to Parliament’s Business and Trade Committee, the trade group analyzed every arena, stadium and outdoor concert currently on sale for 2025. Of the 23.1 million tickets tallied, 58.4 percent were for events directly promoted by Live Nation, and 66.4 percent were controlled by the company once its subsidiaries—such as Cuffe & Taylor, DF Concerts and Metropolis—were included. The U.K.’s formal monopoly threshold is 25 percent.
“A market share at this level raises serious competition concerns,” Rostron told the committee. “We believe the CMA should investigate to ensure promoters of all sizes have a fair shot at booking the biggest stages.”
Live Nation executives push back
Live Nation executives rejected the characterization during a June 24 committee hearing. Phil Bowdery, executive president of touring (international music), told MPs he did “not recognise those figures,” while Ticketmaster UK managing director Andrew Parsons stressed that 60 percent of Ticketmaster’s business comes from non-Live Nation clients. “People outside Live Nation are working with us on merit,” Parsons said, calling the market “well-functioning and competitive.”
Bowdery also argued that the company’s overall profit margin hovers around three percent, an illustration—he said—of tight competition in promoting and ticketing.
A CMA investigation would mirror mounting scrutiny in the United States, where the Department of Justice and multiple state attorneys general have sued to break up Live Nation and Ticketmaster over alleged abuses of market power. A parallel probe in the U.K. could reshape how major tours, stadium concerts and even festivals are routed and ticketed on both sides of the Atlantic.
Independent promoters contend that Live Nation’s vertical integration—combining promotion, ticketing, venue operation and artist management—lets it corner prime calendar dates and dictate commercial terms. AIF represents 148 British festivals ranging from 500 to 80,000 capacity and maintains that “opportunities at all levels” are being squeezed.
The CMA has not yet specifically on the AIF complaint, but indicated a willingness to take legal action recently against Ticketmaster over the pricing and sales methods used during the Oasis tour ticket sales process last year. Potential outcomes range from a clean bill of health to legally binding remedies or even forced divestitures.
Meanwhile, the Business and Trade Committee is expected to publish recommendations from its broader inquiry into pricing and consumer protection later this year. If the panel echoes AIF’s call, political pressure on the CMA to act could intensify.
