Smith Business Close-Up

Consolidation in the Music Industry

Broadcast Dates:
Thursday, May 28, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 31, 7:30 a.m.
Monday, June 1, 4:30 a.m.

In January, Live Nation ended its contract with Ticketmaster and launched its own ticketing service, threatening to deplete Ticketmaster’s revenue by at least 15 percent, and leading the two companies to extreme competition to win ticketing contacts. Just weeks later, the two companies proposed a merger. If permitted, this single firm would have dominant power over ticket sales and concert promotion in the United States. The music industry is currently in a heated debate as to whether or not this merger will benefit the industry.

In this edition of Smith Business Close-Up with the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, Dr. Curt Grimm talks about consolidation and the impact on the music industry and consumers.

Grimm, the Dean’s Chair Professor of Supply Chain and Strategy, has conducted extensive research in both supply chain and strategic management. His research has focused on the interface of business and public policy with strategic management, with a particular emphasis on competition, competition policy, deregulation and microeconomic reform both in the U.S. and overseas. This research has resulted in four books and more than 80 published articles.