String Cheese Incident's ticketing arm is suing corporate giant Ticketmaster in federal court in Denver, claiming it unfairly monopolizes the American ticket sales market and prevents independent ticketing companies from doing business.
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In the lawsuit, SCI Ticketing, a company formed by a partnership between String Cheese Incident and Madison House, a management and booking company, alleges that corporate giant Ticketmaster has used its "monopoly power" and "a web of long-term contracts" to put a stranglehold on the supply of concert tickets. According to Pollstar, Ticketmaster controls at least 60 percent of the inventory in the relevant markets in this suit, and over 90 percent of the inventory in the top amphitheaters
SCI Ticketing further alleges that Ticketmaster has entered into agreements with other companies including Clear Channel Communications Inc., to bolster its ticket market dominance. Ticketmaster has the exclusive contract for all Clear Channel promotions, and has sold over 11 million tickets to their events during the first six months of 2003.
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The antitrust violations alleged in the suit include:
Ticketmaster has entered into combinations, agreements, or conspiracies with promoters, venues and others, in restraint of trade, in violation of section 1 of the Sherman Antitrust Act.
Ticketmaster has monopolized, attempted to monopolize, or abused its monopoly power in the market for the sale of tickets to popular music concerts, in violation of section 2 of the Sherman Antitrust Act.
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