Live Nation, Ticketmaster are a live entertainment monopoly, jury decides

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Live Nation is in fact a monopoly, federal jury rules

A judge will now decide whether Ticketmaster and Live Nation will be split up.
 By 

Chase DiBenedetto

 on 

An iPhone displays the Ticketmaster app in front of a laptop showing the Live Nation logo.

34 states moved forward with the case, refusing to agree to a settlement. Credit: Bloomberg / Contributor / Bloomberg via Getty Images

Live Nation, parent company of infamous live event ticket platform Ticketmaster, has violated federal and state antitrust laws in its dominance of the market, a federal jury ruled Wednesday.

A judge will choose what remedy fits the crime, which could include forcing a breakup of Live Nation and Ticketmaster, the New York Times reported. Live Nation will be ordered to pay monetary damages, as well.

The industry has been waiting for this decision for years, following the federal government’s 2024 filing alleging the company uses “unlawful, anticompetitive conduct,” including long-term exclusive contracts with venues and threats of financial retribution against venues and artists, to retain a “monopolistic control” over the live entertainment market.


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“The result is that fans pay more in fees, artists have fewer opportunities to play concerts, smaller promoters get squeezed out, and venues have fewer real choices for ticketing services. It is time to break up Live Nation-Ticketmaster,” the initial filing read.

The move was partially inspired by extremely high ticket prices for popular, international tours and an outcry from the artists themselves, including Taylor Swift and her army of legally adept fans. Music industry giants, including Pearl Jam, have for decades attempted to break up Ticketmaster’s control over live entertainment.

Live Nation has faced several legal battles related to its alleged market monopoly, including a lawsuit filed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in September, which alleged that the company made billions off of deceptive ticket resale practices.

The Justice Department settled with Live Nation last month, a move that has been scrutinized by congressional leaders. But 34 states remained on the case, and their recent win may profoundly shift the industry.

Chase sits in front of a green framed window, wearing a cheetah print shirt and looking to her right. On the window's glass pane reads "Ricas's Tostadas" in red lettering.

Chase DiBenedetto
Social Good Reporter

Chase joined Mashable’s Social Good team in 2020, covering online stories about digital activism, climate justice, accessibility, and media representation. Her work also captures how these conversations manifest in politics, popular culture, and fandom. Sometimes she’s very funny.

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