In a surprising turn of events, Michelle Sterioff, the main plaintiff in a class action lawsuit against entertainment giants Live Nation Entertainment and Ticketmaster, has opted to retract her lawsuit, as Billboard and legal filings reveal. This move comes one year after Sterioff initiated legal action following the chaotic ticket sales for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. She had accused Ticketmaster of breaching antitrust laws and engaging in deceptive, anti-competitive practices.
This development emerged on December 12, when Sterioff submitted a voluntary dismissal request to a federal court in California. Earlier records in the lawsuit hinted that Sterioff and the defendants were in negotiations over a potential settlement. Newsound has attempted to contact the legal representatives of both parties for further insights.
The original lawsuit by Sterioff and her legal team accused Ticketmaster of deceiving countless fans by promising to block bots and scalpers from pre-sale events. Despite these assurances, they claimed, a massive influx of 14 million unverified users and numerous bots overwhelmed the website during the presales for TaylorSwiftTix and Capital One, leaving many fans ticketless.
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Meanwhile, another avid Taylor Swift supporter, Julie Barfuss, is persisting with her federal class action lawsuit against the same corporate giants, Live Nation Entertainment and Ticketmaster. For an exclusive insight, read Newsound’s interview with Barfuss:
The Swiftie Who’s Taking the Legal Battle to Live Nation’s Doorsteps
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Ticketmaster lawsuit
Who is Michelle Sterioff and why did she file a lawsuit against Ticketmaster?
Michelle Sterioff is a Taylor Swift fan who led a federal class action lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment and Ticketmaster. She filed the lawsuit in response to the problems encountered during the Eras Tour ticketing process, alleging that Ticketmaster violated antitrust laws and engaged in misleading and anti-competitive conduct.
What was the reason behind Michelle Sterioff’s decision to dismiss her lawsuit?
Michelle Sterioff chose to voluntarily dismiss her lawsuit against Ticketmaster and Live Nation Entertainment. This decision came amidst indications that both parties were engaged in settlement discussions, though the specific details of these discussions or the reasons for the dismissal have not been publicly disclosed.
What were the main allegations in Michelle Sterioff’s lawsuit against Ticketmaster?
In her lawsuit, Michelle Sterioff and her legal team accused Ticketmaster of misleading millions of fans by failing to prevent bots and scalpers from participating in the presales for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. They claimed this resulted in many fans being unable to purchase tickets due to overwhelming website traffic and the presence of bots.
Is there another ongoing lawsuit against Ticketmaster related to Taylor Swift’s tour?
Yes, another Taylor Swift fan, Julie Barfuss, is continuing with a separate federal class action lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment and Ticketmaster. This lawsuit is similar in nature, focusing on the issues faced by fans during the ticketing process for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.
More about Ticketmaster lawsuit
- Billboard’s Coverage of the Lawsuit
- Newsound’s Interview with Julie Barfuss
- Details on Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour
- Overview of Antitrust Laws in Entertainment
- Analysis of Ticket Sales and Scalping Issues
- Background on Live Nation Entertainment and Ticketmaster
3 comments
Interesting turn of events, but these kind of cases are super complicated, not surprised it’s ending in a settlement…
This case was a textbook example of potential antitrust issues, but these settlements often leave the larger problems unaddressed, need more strict regulations imo.
Wait, so what happens with the other lawsuit now? Julie Barfuss still fighting the good fight? Go Julie!