Jury finds Live Nation and Ticketmaster an illegal monopoly

A federal jury in Manhattan ruled Wednesday that Live Nation Entertainment, parent company of Ticketmaster, operates as an illegal monopoly, delivering a major victory to the coalition of 34 state attorneys general who pressed forward with litigation after the Trump administration's Justice Department settled its claims against the company. The verdict, reached after four to six days of deliberation, found that Live Nation leveraged its vast control over concert venues to stifle competition in the live entertainment market, allowing the court to consider remedies that could include breaking up the company. The states presented evidence that Live Nation controlled approximately 86 percent of the concert market and 73 percent of the broader live event market, including sports. Testimony revealed internal communications from Live Nation executive Benjamin Baker describing customers as "so stupid" and boasting the company was "robbing them blind." CEO Michael Rapino took the witness stand, fielding questions about the company's practices and the notorious 2022 Taylor Swift ticket debacle, which he attributed to a cyberattack. Live Nation countered that its size resulted from providing superior service and that artists and venues control pricing decisions. Jeffrey Kessler, the attorney representing the states, called the company a "monopolistic bully" whose practices artificially inflated ticket prices. The case traces its roots to the Biden administration's DOJ joining numerous states in filing the antitrust lawsuit, but days into the trial, the Trump DOJ announced its settlement requiring Live Nation to pay $280 million and implement limited reforms, including capping certain fees at some amphitheaters and opening ticket options for competitors. Several states joined that settlement, but 34 of the 40 attorneys general continued the trial, arguing the federal government did not secure sufficient concessions to address monopolistic practices. Judge Arun Subramanian will now consider remedies ranging from breakup to lesser interventions, with any outcome likely subject to appeals. The merger creating Live Nation-Ticketmaster occurred in 2010, and Pearl Jam notably filed an anti-monopoly complaint against the company with the DOJ in the 1990s, which was declined.