Jack Antonoff Responds to Live Nation CEO’s ‘Underpriced’ Ticket Comment

## Jack Antonoff’s Reaction to Concert Ticket Pricing

Jack Antonoff has voiced his disappointment in recent remarks made by Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino regarding the pricing of concert tickets. Antonoff described Rapino’s perspective—indicating that concert tickets are “underpriced”—as a troubling viewpoint.

## Context of the Discussion

On September 25, Antonoff took to X to share some of Rapino’s comments from a recent event where Rapino pushed against the idea that concert ticket prices have become excessive. He emphasized that music remains “underappreciated” and noted that the average concert ticket price is around $72, contrasting it with sports tickets, which often exceed that amount.

## Antonoff’s Counterargument

Antonoff disagreed with Rapino’s stance, particularly highlighting how resale markets frequently inflate ticket prices unreasonably. He stated, “Selling a ticket for more than its face value should be illegal,” advocating for a need to eliminate the chaos that comes with inflated prices. His goal is to restore control to the fans and mitigate the “bizarre free market of confusion.”

## Ideas for Improvement

The musician and producer shared that he frequently discusses these topics with his team and seeks innovative solutions. He believes that making concert tickets more affordable for fans should start from a fundamental shift in how the audience is perceived by those in charge. “It could all be so easy if the people up top didn’t see the audience as a faceless group to extort money from,” he suggested.

## Legal Challenges Ahead

Meanwhile, a representative from Live Nation has not commented on the situation. The timing of Rapino’s comments is noteworthy, given that it came just before the Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster. This legal action accuses both entities of engaging in practices that harm artists and inflate ticket prices for consumers.

The lawsuit claims that Ticketmaster obscures fees until the final checkout stage and allows brokers to bypass limits set by artists on ticket purchases. Additionally, it states that scalpers are enabled to acquire numerous tickets, which they then resell on Ticketmaster’s platform at substantial markups.

## Ongoing Legal Scrutiny

Live Nation is also confronting an antitrust lawsuit from the Department of Justice, which alleges the company is operating as a monopoly—a claim that has been firmly denied by Live Nation. This ongoing legal scrutiny adds another layer of complexity to the discussions surrounding concert ticket pricing.

How do you feel about the current state of concert ticket prices?