FRL
RemediesS.D.N.Y.· filed 2024-05-23

33 States v. Live Nation / Ticketmaster, antitrust monopoly (remedies phase)

Potential forced divestiture of Ticketmaster from Live Nation, venue sell-offs, fee caps, and structural breakup of the live-music industry's dominant vertically integrated conglomerate; billions in consumer damages.

Latest development

The states have now made their most detailed case that the DOJ's settlement would leave Ticketmaster stronger, not weaker. In a September 4, 2026 Tunney Act public comment reported September 16, attorneys general from 17 states and D.C. call the proposed final judgment 'vague, ambiguous, and not reasonably calculated to meaningfully restore competition' and warn that parts of it could 'further entrench Ticketmaster's market power by positioning it as a gatekeeper.' Writing as 'co-equal enforcers and co-plaintiffs,' they argue the open-distribution remedy would enshrine Ticketmaster's back end as privileged industry infrastructure that rivals must pay for and expose their data to; that none of the 13 'Divestiture Venues' is actually owned or leased by Live Nation, so no amphitheater asset is being divested; and that the decree 'reappoints the very same monitor used to oversee the past two failed settlements.' They again ask for discovery and an evidentiary hearing into how the March settlement was struck, citing White House involvement and an August Tunney Act ruling in the HPE/Juniper case. The states are not alone: AEG, SeatGeek, TicketNetwork, the National Independent Venue Association, Messina Touring Group and the American Antitrust Institute all filed objections before the comment period closed September 4, with AEG warning the decree 'does not break Ticketmaster's grip; it tightens it' on the basis that the rebidding requirement still leaves Ticketmaster about 85% of the market and opens only roughly 170 events to bid, and AEG and SeatGeek both noting that opening Ticketmaster's back end to rivals still lets it collect fees on their sales. Judge Subramanian has indicated he expects to rule on the settlement between mid-September and mid-October. Live Nation's post-trial Rule 50(b) and Rule 59 motions, argued July 31, remain undecided, and remedies discovery stays frozen until they are resolved.

Tracker entry updated 2026-09-25

Background

The Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment and its Ticketmaster subsidiary in May 2024, alleging the company illegally monopolized the live entertainment industry through a vertically integrated web spanning concert venues, artist management, concert promotion, and primary and secondary ticketing. Thirty-three states and the District of Columbia joined as co-plaintiffs. The DOJ settled separately with Live Nation in March 2026 for $280 million, without requiring Ticketmaster's divestiture, but the states continued to trial on their own claims.

On April 15, 2026, a federal jury in the Southern District of New York found Live Nation and Ticketmaster liable on all counts, concluding they had unlawfully monopolized primary concert ticketing services and amphitheater markets and had tied their venues to concert promotion services. The jury calculated damages at $1.72 per primary concert ticket sold under the anticompetitive conduct. The case now enters a remedies phase: the states are seeking structural relief including forced divestiture of Ticketmaster, sale of Live Nation amphitheaters, unwinding of exclusive booking agreements, and consumer restitution. Key briefing runs through summer 2026; a remedies trial is not expected before February 2027, with an appeal widely anticipated.

Why It Matters for Artists and Fans

Live Nation's vertical integration has long been criticized by artists and independent promoters who say the company can effectively coerce artists into using Ticketmaster by controlling the venues those artists need to tour. A forced breakup would be the most significant restructuring of the concert industry in decades, potentially opening the market to competing ticketing platforms, reducing service fees, and giving artists and independent venues more negotiating power. Even short of a breakup, the verdict's per-ticket damage finding could expose the company to billions in aggregate liability from ongoing and future anticompetitive conduct.

Primary sources

  1. [1]State AGs Say DOJ's Live Nation Settlement Could Make Ticketmaster More Powerful, TicketNews (2026-09-16)
  2. [2]Live Nation Asks Judge to Undo Monopoly Verdict, Claiming Jury Followed "Emotional Arguments" Over Law, TicketNews (2026-07-06)
  3. [3]Live Nation and Ticketmaster ask court to throw out monopoly verdict, or grant new trial, Music Business Worldwide (2026-07)
  4. [4]AEG and SeatGeek ask court to reject Live Nation's DOJ settlement, with AEG warning it 'does not break Ticketmaster's grip; it tightens it', Music Business Worldwide (2026-09-09)
  5. [5]The Biz: Objections Roll In As Judge Reviews LN Settlement, Pollstar (2026-09-15)
  6. [6]Antitrust Institute Urges Judge to Probe Political Motives Behind Live Nation Settlement in Tunney Act Filing, TicketNews (2026-09)
  7. [7]Live Nation, States Clash Over New Antitrust Ruling Before Post-Trial Hearing, TicketNews (2026-07-27)
  8. [8]States grilled on market definition concerns in Live Nation case, Global Competition Review (2026-07-31)
  9. [9]Judge Probes Evidence Behind Live Nation Monopoly Verdict, Leaves Ruling Pending, TicketNews (2026-08-03)
  10. [10]Judge Denies States' Discovery Request Into Live Nation Settlement, Leaves Door Open, TicketNews (2026-08-06)
  11. [11]Just Toss It? Live Nation Moves to Invalidate Entire Antitrust Verdict in USA v. Live Nation, Digital Music News (2026-07-06)
  12. [12]States Fight Live Nation Bid to Undo Monopoly Verdict as New Filing Details White House Settlement Talks, TicketNews (2026-06-19)
  13. [13]Live Nation Discloses That CEO Spoke With Trump Before Surprise Antitrust Trial Settlement, Variety (2026-06-18)
  14. [14]Trump, Live Nation CEO spoke before antitrust case settlement: Filing, The Hill (2026-06-18)
  15. [15]Live Nation Wins Pause on Breakup Discovery While It Tries to Undo Monopoly Verdict, TicketNews (2026-06-03) [archived]
  16. [16]Jury finds Live Nation and Ticketmaster operated as a monopoly and overcharged fans, CNN (2026-04-15) [archived]
  17. [17]After the Verdict: Navigating the Live Nation/Ticketmaster Antitrust Fallout, Crowell & Moring (2026-04-16) [archived]
  18. [18]States Seek Ticketmaster Breakup, Live Nation Venue Selloffs After Monopoly Verdict, TicketNews (2026-05-15) [archived]
  19. [19]How Live Nation Verdict May Affect Ticket Prices, Time (2026-04-16) [archived]
  20. [20]Ticketmaster-Live Nation monopoly verdict impact on ticket prices, NPR (2026-04-16) [archived]

Source pack

Reporting on this? Every claim above maps to these primary sources.

  1. [1]State AGs Say DOJ's Live Nation Settlement Could Make Ticketmaster More Powerful, TicketNews, 2026-09-16
  2. [2]Live Nation Asks Judge to Undo Monopoly Verdict, Claiming Jury Followed "Emotional Arguments" Over Law, TicketNews, 2026-07-06
  3. [3]Live Nation and Ticketmaster ask court to throw out monopoly verdict, or grant new trial, Music Business Worldwide, 2026-07
  4. [4]AEG and SeatGeek ask court to reject Live Nation's DOJ settlement, with AEG warning it 'does not break Ticketmaster's grip; it tightens it', Music Business Worldwide, 2026-09-09
  5. [5]The Biz: Objections Roll In As Judge Reviews LN Settlement, Pollstar, 2026-09-15
  6. [6]Antitrust Institute Urges Judge to Probe Political Motives Behind Live Nation Settlement in Tunney Act Filing, TicketNews, 2026-09
  7. [7]Live Nation, States Clash Over New Antitrust Ruling Before Post-Trial Hearing, TicketNews, 2026-07-27
  8. [8]States grilled on market definition concerns in Live Nation case, Global Competition Review, 2026-07-31
  9. [9]Judge Probes Evidence Behind Live Nation Monopoly Verdict, Leaves Ruling Pending, TicketNews, 2026-08-03
  10. [10]Judge Denies States' Discovery Request Into Live Nation Settlement, Leaves Door Open, TicketNews, 2026-08-06
  11. [11]Just Toss It? Live Nation Moves to Invalidate Entire Antitrust Verdict in USA v. Live Nation, Digital Music News, 2026-07-06
  12. [12]States Fight Live Nation Bid to Undo Monopoly Verdict as New Filing Details White House Settlement Talks, TicketNews, 2026-06-19
  13. [13]Live Nation Discloses That CEO Spoke With Trump Before Surprise Antitrust Trial Settlement, Variety, 2026-06-18
  14. [14]Trump, Live Nation CEO spoke before antitrust case settlement: Filing, The Hill, 2026-06-18
  15. [15]Live Nation Wins Pause on Breakup Discovery While It Tries to Undo Monopoly Verdict, TicketNews, 2026-06-03 [archived]
  16. [16]Jury finds Live Nation and Ticketmaster operated as a monopoly and overcharged fans, CNN, 2026-04-15 [archived]
  17. [17]After the Verdict: Navigating the Live Nation/Ticketmaster Antitrust Fallout, Crowell & Moring, 2026-04-16 [archived]
  18. [18]States Seek Ticketmaster Breakup, Live Nation Venue Selloffs After Monopoly Verdict, TicketNews, 2026-05-15 [archived]
  19. [19]How Live Nation Verdict May Affect Ticket Prices, Time, 2026-04-16 [archived]
  20. [20]Ticketmaster-Live Nation monopoly verdict impact on ticket prices, NPR, 2026-04-16 [archived]

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