Dean Budnick

Dean Budnick, co-author of "Ticketmaster: The Rise of the Concert Industry and How the Public Got Scalped," discusses the monopolistic grip Ticketmaster has on live events. They dive into the chaos Taylor Swift fans faced during the Eras Tour ticket sales, sparked by a lack of competition. Budnick explains how 1980s policy changes fueled Ticketmaster's dominance and the shift in antitrust law that benefitted them. The recent Congressional hearings highlight the urgent calls for reform to protect consumers against such monopolies.

Dean Budnick, Relics editor and concert-history author, and Vass Bednar, competition policy expert, dig into Ticketmaster and Live Nation. They discuss the Taylor Swift ticketing failures, alleged venue pressure and anti-competitive conduct, how vertical integration shapes pricing and resale, and the stakes for artists, fans and market policy.