A Manhattan federal jury ruled Wednesday that Live Nation Entertainment and its Ticketmaster subsidiary operated an illegal monopoly over major concert venues, delivering a significant defeat to the world's largest live entertainment company in a closely watched antitrust case.
The verdict came after four days of deliberation in a lawsuit brought by dozens of US states and the District of Columbia. The jury found that Live Nation used its market dominance to suppress competition by blocking venues from using multiple ticket sellers and retaliating against those that attempted to do so.
It is time to hold them accountable
Jeffrey Kessler, attorney for the states
Kessler characterized Live Nation as a "monopolistic bully" that drove up prices for consumers. The jury determined that Ticketmaster overcharged buyers by $1.72 per ticket, though the judge has yet to decide total damages.
Live Nation controls 86% of the concert market and 73% of the overall live events market when sports are included. The company generates over $22 billion in annual revenue and owns, operates, or controls booking for hundreds of venues across multiple countries.
Frames the verdict as overdue accountability for a "monopolistic bully" that has exploited consumers for decades. Emphasizes the company's market dominance statistics and internal communications showing contempt for customers, positioning this as a victory for consumer protection against corporate abuse.