Jury Finds That Live Nation/Ticketmaster Is Illegal Monopoly

Finally, some good news. A federal jury in Manhattan has found that Live Nation, the massive corporation that merged with Ticketmaster in 2010, holds a harmful monopoly over large entertainment venues. Because of that decision, Live Nation could be on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars. The jury found that Ticketmaster overcharged customers for $1.72 per ticket in 22 states, and it could also face penalties and sanctions, and it could be forced to give up ownership of at least some of the venues in which it owns a stake, as the Associated Press reports.

The states' lawsuit against Live Nation began when Joe Biden's Justice Department filed its own antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation in 2024. Last month, the DOJ and Live Nation reached a settlement in that case, reportedly at the urging of Trump himself. A few states joined the DOJ's settlement, but 34 states and Washington, DC continued with the lawsuit. Now, lawyers for the states and the company have a week and a half to deliver a joint letter to the judge with a proposal for what motions and remedies the company will have to take to settle the case.

Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino testified during the trial, and the trial also included the revelation of internal messages among Ticketmaster employees, joking that their customers are "so stupid" and that the company is "robbing them blind baby." The jury deliberated for four days before delivering the verdict. A number of state attorneys general have already put out statements lauding the "landmark decision."