# Ticketmaster chief: venues have real choices

> Ticketmaster's new global president pushes back on claims the company locks venues into exclusive deals with no alternatives.
- Title: Ticketmaster chief: venues have real choices · Billboard
- Summary: Ticketmaster's new global president pushes back on claims the company locks venues into exclusive deals with no alternatives. Ticketmaster argues venues…
- Keywords: ticketmaster, live nation, saumil mehta, ticketing, venues, exclusive contracts, antitrust, monopoly, fan communication, live entertainment, chief, real
- Source: Billboard — https://billboard.com/pro/ticketmaster-global-president-venues-have-choices-ticketing
- Author: Taylor Mims
- Published: 2026-09-18T00:12:12+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: ticketmaster, live nation, saumil mehta, ticketing, venues, exclusive contracts, antitrust, monopoly, fan communication, live entertainment
## New Ticketmaster chief rejects monopoly claims
Saumil Mehta, who took over as Ticketmaster's global president in November, says venues actively shop around for ticketing partners and competitors regularly bid for contracts.

> I would categorically reject that venues don't have choices
## Renewals show fierce competition
Mehta says he's seen many ticketing contract renewals in his first ten months, with sports teams, clubs, theaters and amphitheaters all comparing Ticketmaster against competitors on price, products and services.

> There are competitors bidding for those venues
## Exclusive contracts at heart of lawsuit
A jury found Live Nation operates an illegal monopoly by threatening to withhold concerts from venues that don't sign exclusive Ticketmaster contracts. Live Nation denies the charges.
## U.K. model shows alternatives work
In the United Kingdom, large venues use multiple ticketing companies for the same event and allocate inventory to each. Mehta says Ticketmaster is willing to operate under that model if the U.S. shifts away from exclusivity.

> I have empirical evidence that we've done it in the U.K., so it's fine
## Decades of criticism shaped perception
Mehta acknowledges Ticketmaster has inherited 40 years of decisions and narratives, both positive and negative, that have calcified into public skepticism about the company's market power.
## Better fan communication is key
Mehta says Ticketmaster's biggest opportunity is improving transparency during checkout, especially on controversial practices like geo-fencing for playoff games, rather than announcing policies days before.

> We're not selling toothbrushes
## Market is competitive, Mehta insists
Mehta frames Ticketmaster as operating in a free market where the company must compete daily, build better products, and earn client loyalty or lose business to rivals.

> It's a free market. It's wildly competitive
## Key takeaway

Ticketmaster argues venues actively shop around and competitors bid for contracts, but the company acknowledges it needs better fan communication on controversial practices.