United States: Ticketmaster giant found liable for illegal monopoly by the courts

It was a long-awaited verdict. In the United States, a federal civil jury concluded on Wednesday that Live Nation, the parent company of Ticketmaster, had established an illegal monopoly in the ticketing industry. This verdict marks the beginning of a new legal phase. Judge Arun Subramanian will now decide on the sanctions in a separate procedure. Among the options being considered are the sale of concert venues or asset divestitures, potentially leading to a forced sale of Ticketmaster to restore competition.

“For too long, Live Nation and Ticketmaster have taken advantage of fans and artists by increasing ticket prices and stifling competition to maintain their positions,” praised Letitia James, Attorney General of the State of New York, in a statement.

The Live Nation group can still appeal

The jury found that Ticketmaster had taken advantage of its dominant position to overcharge tickets by an average of $1.72 between May 2020 and 2024. The total amount of damages will be determined by the judge soon, with the possibility of tripling that estimate. In a statement, Live Nation emphasized that several motions still need to be reviewed by the judge, intentionally postponed after the verdict, and stated that they will appeal in case of an unfavorable decision.

The group also disputes the alleged overcharge of $1.72, claiming that it only affects 257 venues, representing 20% of all tickets, and only involving sales to individuals in certain states over the past five years. Live Nation acquired Ticketmaster in 2010 with the Justice Department’s approval under conditions, but has since been accused of abusing its dominant position, especially after the significant malfunctions observed in 2022 during the sale of tickets for Taylor Swift’s tour.

A bipartisan mobilization

The lawsuit, brought by the federal government, 39 states, and the District of Columbia, began in March in New York before being briefly suspended following a settlement agreement involving a $280 million payment and the transfer of thirteen venues. This agreement was rejected by over thirty states, leading them to continue with the legal proceedings.

“In the face of the reduced enforcement of antitrust laws by the Trump administration, this verdict demonstrates the extent to which states can go to protect our citizens from large corporations that abuse their power to unfairly raise prices and defraud Americans,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who also praised the bipartisan mobilization. “We are incredibly proud of this outcome,” he added, describing the verdict as “historic.”