politics
April 15, 2026
US jury finds Live Nation and Ticketmaster subsidiary operated monopoly
Verdict in states’ lawsuit says concert giant stifled competition, raising pressure for changes to ticketing market
TL;DR
- A Manhattan federal jury found Live Nation and Ticketmaster guilty of operating a monopoly.
- The lawsuit was brought by dozens of US states, accusing Live Nation of stifling competition.
- Live Nation owns, operates, or controls booking for hundreds of venues and Ticketmaster is the world's largest ticket-seller for live events.
- The company was accused of blocking and retaliating against venues that used multiple ticket sellers.
- An attorney for the states called Live Nation a "monopolistic bully" that drove up prices, with the jury finding Ticketmaster overcharged buyers by $1.72 per ticket.
- Live Nation defended itself, stating artists, sports teams, and venues set prices and that its size is a result of excellence.
- Ticketmaster, established in 1976, merged with Live Nation in 2010 and reportedly controls a significant majority of the concert and overall live event ticketing markets.
- The current lawsuit followed a previous anti-monopoly complaint filed by Pearl Jam in the 1990s.
- The US federal government, joined by states, brought the current lawsuit during the Biden administration, though Donald Trump's administration settled its claims separately.
- A settlement required Live Nation to create a fund for participating states and included some new ticket-selling options but did not force Live Nation to split from Ticketmaster.
- Over 30 states continued with the trial, feeling the federal government's settlement did not go far enough.
- Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino testified regarding the company's handling of Taylor Swift ticket sales in 2022, which he attributed to a cyberattack.
- Internal messages from a Live Nation executive were revealed, discussing "outrageous" prices and customers being "so stupid."
- The Federal Trade Commission previously required Ticketmaster to disclose concert ticket fees upfront, but investigations suggest the company adjusted other fees to compensate.
- Senators have criticized Ticketmaster for alleged bait-and-switch practices and market manipulation.