Jury rules that Live Nation and Ticketmaster have monopoly on live music in the US

Damages are yet to be determined in the antitrust suit, however the jury found that Ticketmaster has extorted buyers for an extra $1.72 on average per ticket since the merger

A jury has ruled that Ticketmaster, along with its owner Live Nation, have a monopoly over large-scale live music venues in the US.

According to The Guardian, the Manhattan federal jury deliberated over the verdict for four days before reaching a decision, which culminated a lengthy antitrust suit by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) against the ticketing platform. 

Live Nation was accused of using Ticketmaster's patented SafeTix technology - which features rotating barcodes to prevent users from fraudulently screenshotting tickets - to suppress competition, claiming it was instead used to prevent venues from using other ticketing platforms.

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During the trial, Live Nation's attorneys argued that its control of US venues "is not a monopoly" but instead a signifier of its "excellence and effort".

However, DOJ attorney Jeffrey Kessler called Live Nation a “monopolistic bully”, adding that it's time that the American public "hold them accountable" for overcharging customers. While the exact figure for damages is yet to be decided, the jury found that Ticketmaster has extorted buyers for an extra $1.72 on average per ticket since the merger.

According to CNBC, the corporation plans to appeal the ruling, writing in a statement: “We remain confident that the ultimate outcome of the States’ case will not be materially different than what is envisioned by the DOJ settlement." 

The DOJ's initial suit, launched in 2024, had alleged that the 2010 merger of Ticketmaster and Live Nation resulted in the latter controlling ticketing at "around 80% of US venues", forcing artists to work with Live Nation for event promotion.

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Nine US states later joined the lawsuit, which escalated into an attempt to "break up" Ticketmaster and Live Nation in order to "restore competition to the benefit of fans and artists alike.”

In March, the DOJ reached a tentative settlement with Ticketmaster which would have seen 50% of tickets sold for events at Live Nation-owned venues be reserved for other ticketing platforms.

However, 32 states refused to agree to the settlement terms, claiming that the DOJ did not secure necessary commitments from Ticketmaster to ensure a fair deal for fans — ensuring the trial would continue.

Megan Townsend is Mixmag's Deputy Editor, follow her on X

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