A New York federal judge has urged over two dozen states to settle their antitrust claims against Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation Entertainment, after the US Justice Department reached a deal and dropped out of an ongoing trial. Judge Arun Subramanian made the plea during a hearing in Manhattan on Tuesday, but Live Nation's lawyer, Dan Wall, said the chance of all states settling by Friday was “about zero.”
Wall cited the complexity of negotiations, noting that states do not all seek the same remedies. “There are too many parties,” he said. “We want to stick the landing here. Get it down. And we won't stick the landing by Friday.” Despite this, the judge persuaded both sides to continue talks in federal court this week, offering conference rooms and even his robing room for the discussions.
The Justice Department announced its settlement on Monday, describing it as a victory for consumers. Under the deal, Live Nation agreed to allow up to 50% of tickets at its amphitheaters to be sold through any ticketing marketplace, cap service fees at 15%, divest 13 amphitheaters, and create a $280 million settlement fund. However, no money will be paid if states do not settle.
Multiple states criticised the deal, with North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson calling it “a terrible deal.” US Senator Amy Klobuchar said it was “troubling” that the deal was announced after the head of the Justice Department’s antitrust division was ousted. At least 10 states have agreed to the settlement, leaving over two dozen still opposed.
Judge Subramanian is considering whether to grant a mistrial request from the states or resume the trial next Monday. He urged both sides to focus on reaching a deal, saying, “Right now you should be focused on can we make a deal.”
