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Live Nation has been found liable in the highly anticipated antitrust case, a remarkable verdict that could transform the live entertainment industry, the New York Times reports. The jury deliberated for four days before concluding that the company violated antitrust law as a monopoly.
The more than 30 states that sued Live Nation and Ticketmaster ultimately managed to convince the jury that the company represents a monopoly due to its dominant position in ticketing, concert marketing and venue operations. The plaintiff states argued that Live Nation coerced artists and venues into using their services through threats and retaliation. Specific allegations included that Live Nation withheld lucrative concert tours from venues that did not sign exclusive contracts with Ticketmaster – and that artists were only allowed to perform at Live Nation-owned amphitheaters if they also used the company’s concert promotion services.
An exact penalty has yet to be determined, but the consequences could range from high damages to the possible breakup of Live Nation and Ticketmaster. It is also likely that Live Nation will appeal the verdict – which could mean the case could drag on for several years.
Historic verdict against Live Nation
There was no immediate comment from Live Nation.
Still, the ruling is historic and marks the most significant attempt yet to rein in a company that has dominated the live music, sports and other events sectors for more than 15 years. Live Nation has faced legal pressure before, most notably in a 2018 investigation into allegations that the company violated the terms of a settlement with the Department of Justice. This settlement was reached in 2010 as part of the Live Nation-Ticketmaster merger and was intended to prevent Live Nation from putting pressure on venues that use other ticketing services.
The matter was settled in late 2019 after the DOJ found that Live Nation had violated the terms of the settlement. As a result, the settlement was extended by five years and the wording was clarified so that Live Nation could neither threaten nor disadvantage venues that used another ticketing provider. The allegation that Live Nation continued to do just that formed a central part of the antitrust lawsuit that the DOJ filed in 2024.
The states’ victory is also notable because the course of the trial was anything but predictable. After a week in court, the DOJ unexpectedly announced a settlement with Live Nation that included damages and concessions in ticketing and the amphitheater business. While seven of the original plaintiff states agreed to the DOJ terms, the attorneys general of the remainder rejected the deal – some sharply criticized the terms as inadequate. To prosecute the case, the states hired outside lawyers led by antitrust expert Jeffrey Kessler, who had only a week to prepare.
Explosive evidence and prominent witnesses
The past six weeks of court proceedings have provided a rare glimpse into the inner workings of Live Nation and Ticketmaster: reams of emails, internal messages and even secretly recorded phone calls have been submitted as evidence. The most explosive document was probably messages from two ticketing directors who bragged about literally “robbing” and “exploiting” fans with high additional fees – for example for parking spaces. Live Nation said in a statement that the exchange “absolutely does not reflect our values or the way we work.”
Numerous top Live Nation executives also appeared on the stand, including CEO Michael Rapino. The jury also heard from high-ranking representatives of the group’s largest competitors, such as AEG and SeatGeek, as well as from experts. Although the trial had far-reaching consequences for the music industry and artists of all kinds, none of them appeared as witnesses – although Kid Rock, a well-known Ticketmaster critic, was on the original witness list.
The case also took on a political dimension when Live Nation lobbied the Trump administration against the lawsuit. As part of that effort, the company appointed Ric Grenell — a longtime Trump confidant and former president of the Kennedy Center — to its board. According to multiple reports, the group’s lobbying team also included former Trump adviser and campaign manager Kellyanne Conway and MAGA influencer and attorney Mike Davis. (Davis also helped persuade the DOJ to drop its opposition to the $14 billion merger of Hewlett Packard and Juniper Networks.)
Trump’s interference in the White House
According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, even Trump personally intervened in the discussions that preceded the comparison with Live Nation. After the case was brought to the president’s attention by prominent figures, he began to question what was delaying a settlement.
The settlement was said to have been reached at the White House on March 5, a Thursday – but the court was not informed until a hearing the following Monday, March 9. Even some DOJ lawyers were surprised by the deal, with Judge Arun Subramanian calling the passage of time “absolutely unacceptable.”
