A federal civil jury on Wednesday, April 15, found Live Nation, the parent company of Ticketmaster, guilty of illegal monopoly in violation of US antitrust laws. This verdict follows several weeks of trial in New York, initiated by 34 states despite an earlier agreement with the Department of Justice.
In early March, the group had reached a settlement with the federal government, which had withdrawn from the lawsuit. However, a majority of states rejected this compromise, deeming the concessions insufficient, and opted to continue the legal process until the verdict.
Now, Judge Arun Subramanian must determine the reparations in a separate procedure. One of the scenarios being considered is a possible breakup of the group, including the sale of Ticketmaster.
The jury estimated that Ticketmaster overcharged its customers by $1.72 per ticket sold. The total amount of damages and fines will be determined in the coming days.
Years of Contested Dominance
The acquisition of Ticketmaster by Live Nation in 2010, approved at the time by the Department of Justice with conditions, has been subject to criticism. Since then, the group has been accused of abusing its dominant position in the concert organization and ticketing markets.
During the trial, the head of rival AEG Presents highlighted that concert ticket fees in the US average 25% of the price, compared to about 15% in Europe—a difference he attributed to Ticketmaster’s dominance.
States Leading the Charge Against Giants
Originally brought by the Department of Justice and 40 states, the lawsuit initially included a settlement involving the payment of $280 million in damages and the sale of 13 concert venues. However, the majority of states found these measures insufficient and kept up the legal pressure.
Rob Bonta, California’s attorney general, reacted to the verdict by stating, “Faced with the retreat of antitrust law enforcement under the Trump administration, this verdict shows how far states can go to protect our citizens.” He accused large corporations of using their power to “unfairly raise prices and deceive Americans.”
