A Manhattan federal jury has found that Live Nation and its Ticketmaster subsidiary hold a harmful monopoly over large concert venues, dealing a significant blow to the concert giant in a lawsuit brought by dozens of US states. The jury deliberated for four days before reaching its verdict on Wednesday, which highlighted the company's dominance in the live entertainment industry.
The civil case, initially led by the US federal government, accused Live Nation of stifling competition by blocking venues from using multiple ticket sellers and retaliating against those that did. The jury determined that Ticketmaster overcharged buyers by $1.72 per ticket, with the judge yet to decide total damages. Attorney Jeffrey Kessler, representing the states, described Live Nation as a 'monopolistic bully' that drove up prices for consumers.
Live Nation has denied being a monopoly, arguing that its size is a result of success and effort, not antitrust violations. The company plans to appeal the ruling, stating it remains confident that the final outcome will align with the Department of Justice settlement. The settlement, reached during the Trump administration, includes a $280m fund for participating states and caps on service fees at some amphitheaters, but does not require Live Nation to split from Ticketmaster.
Ticketmaster, which merged with Live Nation in 2010, controls 86% of the concert market and 73% of the overall market including sports events, according to the states' attorney. The company has faced criticism from fans and artists for decades, including a 1990s complaint by Pearl Jam. During the trial, internal messages from a Live Nation executive were revealed, calling prices 'outrageous' and customers 'so stupid', for which the executive apologised.
The verdict comes amid ongoing scrutiny of Ticketmaster's practices, including a Federal Trade Commission requirement to disclose fees upfront. A Guardian investigation found that Ticketmaster raised other fees to offset revenue loss from eliminating a processing fee, as confirmed in an email to the Findlay Toyota Center.
