Jury finds Live Nation operated as a monopoly in event space

A federal jury determined in New York Wednesday that Live Nation and Ticketmaster acted as a monopoly that has driven up ticket prices in violation of federal and state antitrust laws. The Justice Department sued Ticketmaster and parent company Live Nation Entertainment in 2024, alleging they have run an illegal monopoly over live events in the United States that have stifled competition and driven up ticket prices.
The verdict comes after a weeks-long trial and four days of deliberations. The jury determined Ticketmaster overcharged consumers by $1.72 for each ticket, according to the New York Times, and the judge will set legal remedies in the case at a separate proceeding. 
The Justice Department filed the lawsuit in federal court in Manhattan and the case was also brought by 30 state and district attorneys general. The lawsuit seeks to break up the monopoly, which the DOJ says pushed smaller promoters out of the market.
Live Nation has argued that it is not a monopoly and competes fairly against other ticketers, concert promoters, venue operators and sports teams, despite Ticketmaster selling approximately 10 times as many tickets as its closest rival, AEG.
“We are fierce competitors,” Live Nation attorney David Marriott told the jury last week. “We are trying to win the business.”
Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.

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