Live Nation illegally monopolized ticketing market, jury in antitrust trial finds

A jury in a high-stakes antitrust trial on Wednesday found that Live Nation and its subsidiary, Ticketmaster, illegally maintained monopoly power in the ticketing market.

A group of jurors delivered the verdict in Manhattan federal court after around five weeks of trial, which featured testimony from dozens of witnesses. The jury began deliberating on Friday.

The complaint, initially brought by the Department of Justice and the dozens of state attorneys general in 2024, claimed that Live Nation monopolized the industry by controlling ticketing, concert booking, venues, and promotions.

The lawsuit alleged that the company engaged in “anticompetitive conduct,” resulting in fans paying higher fees, artists having fewer options for touring, and coercing venues to use Ticketmaster.

Live Nation has vehemently denied acting as a monopoly.

Antitrust lawyers previously told NBC News that settlements can range from a modest set of conduct changes to sweeping consent decrees.

The federal government struck a surprise deal with the company in March after a face-to-face meeting between Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino and Omeed Assefi, the acting assistant attorney general for the Antitrust Division.

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The settlement came just weeks after the ousting of Gail Slater, who had served as the Justice Department’s top antitrust chief before abruptly exiting her position on February 12. Slater had been particularly aggressive against Big Tech companies during her tenure.

The DOJ settlement required Ticketmaster to divest up to 13 amphitheaters, reserve 50% of tickets for nonexclusive venues, and cap ticketing service fees at 15%.

After the deal was reached, a senior justice official said it would lower prices by expanding choices for both artists and consumers.

“This settlement will resolve all remaining matters with the DOJ, without any admission of wrongdoing,” Live Nation previously said in a statement.

Still, a majority of the state attorneys general snubbed the deal and pursued their own claims against the live events giant. Leading up to Wednesday’s verdict, Ray Seilie, an attorney at Kinsella Holley Iser Kump Steinsapir, told NBC News that the DOJ settlement, which he described as highly unusual, would set “a floor or minimum” for further remedies in the states’ case.

In closing arguments, Jeffrey Kessler, an attorney for the states, addressed the jury. He said, “You’re New Yorkers. I trust that you know when someone is blowing smoke or being straight with you.”

Kessler added, “Apply your common sense. It’s time to hold them accountable.”

The states found that Ticketmaster has an 86% share of the ticketing market at “major concert venues,” which Kessler defined as roughly 250 amphitheaters and arenas in the U.S. with capacities of 8,000 and hosting more than 10 concerts a year.

Live Nation, meanwhile, argued the states have defined the market too narrowly, maintaining their market share is closer to 44% when a broader set of venues — including all stadiums, arenas and amphitheaters, as well as those that host sports — is taken into account.

Beyond venue operations, Kessler said Live Nation “kept digging the moat deeper around the monopoly castle,” with its lengthy exclusive ticketing contracts with venues and allegations of threatening to withhold concerts from any if they switched to rival ticketers.

Those arguments came even after the states narrowed the scope of their case.

Last week, the states dropped their claim that Live Nation engaged in unlawful exclusive dealing with venues, focusing instead on broader monopolization allegations. At the time, legal experts said the move could simplify the case for jurors, but also make it harder to directly tie the company’s conduct to higher ticket prices.

David Marriott, an attorney for Live Nation, responded to Kessler’s claims, saying, “This notion that the fans and the venues are doing worse with Live Nation, but that’s simply not true.”

The company is “bringing concerts to the country and fans,” Marriott said.

While Marriott conceded that Live Nation is a “big” company, he said, “It’s not against the law. We are fierce competitors.”

Isa Morales contributed.