A jury has found that concert giant Live Nation and its ticketing arm Ticketmaster violated federal and state antitrust laws, siding with New York Attorney General Letitia James and a coalition of 33 other attorneys general in a closely watched case over competition in the live entertainment industry.
The verdict followed a five-week trial in which the coalition argued that Live Nation and Ticketmaster used their market dominance to suppress competition and drive up ticket prices for fans, artists, and venues nationwide.
Jurors found that the companies unlawfully maintained monopoly power, blocking rival ticketing services, venue operators, and concert promoters from competing effectively. The decision also concluded that consumers were overcharged for tickets at major concert venues across the country.
“This is a landmark victory in our ongoing work to protect our economy and New Yorkers’ wallets from harmful monopolies,” James said. “For far too long, Live Nation and Ticketmaster have taken advantage of fans and artists by raising prices for tickets and stifling any competition that threatened their power. A jury found what we have long known to be true: Live Nation and Ticketmaster are breaking the law and costing consumers millions of dollars in the process. I am proud to have led a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general in bringing this case and look forward to continuing our work to hold Live Nation and Ticketmaster accountable.”
The lawsuit was filed in May 2024 by James, attorneys general from 40 states, and the United States Department of Justice.
The complaint alleged that Live Nation’s control over venue ownership, event promotion, and ticketing services allowed it to inflate costs and limit competition across the live event ecosystem.
During the trial, which began March 2, 2026, the Justice Department reached a settlement with Live Nation. James and the coalition of 33 states rejected that agreement and continued to pursue the case.
The jury found that Ticketmaster holds a monopoly in ticketing services for major concert venues and that Live Nation dominates the market for large amphitheaters. Jurors also concluded that Live Nation unlawfully tied its promotion services to artists performing at venues it owns, restricting market access for competitors.
With liability established, the case now moves to a separate bench trial, where the court will determine remedies and potential financial penalties.
The New York case team included Assistant Attorneys General Jonathan Hatch, Luisa di Lauro, Pratik Agarwal, and Juliana Karp, along with fellows and legal staff from the Antitrust Bureau under senior leadership within the state’s Division of Economic Justice.
