Live Nation and Ticketmaster have been found liable for operating as a monopoly in the ticketing market by a federal jury in New York. The verdict, reached on 15 April, indicated the companies overcharged customers in 22 states by an average of $1.72 per ticket.
A second trial will be held to determine what should happen next, with the possibility standing that Ticketmaster may be sold off from Live Nation. Further, the amount of damages will be decided in a different proceeding.
In 2024, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and 39 state attorneys general filed a lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster. They claimed that the union of these companies controlled almost every part of the live music industry as a whole. A week into the trial, the federal government agreed to a $280 million settlement under the current administration. However, states like California and New York continued the case, arguing that the DOJ’s settlement did not provide enough accountability, with the jury agreeing with them.
Live Nation has rejected the decision and plans to appeal the ruling. Consumer advocates see the decision as an important step to check the company’s power in the market, with the prospects of having major impacts on the live music scene, where major markups on tickets have frustrated fans for years during major tours and festivals.
