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The antitrust trial against Live Nation is set to resume on Monday, as the concert and ticketing giant failed to reach a settlement with the majority of states that sued the company along with the Justice Department.
Several states, including Arkansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and Oklahoma, have reached a settlement, according to documents submitted to the court on Friday and to the news outlet Inner City Press, but more than 30 other states — including the major live music markets of California, New York and Texas — are pushing back.
The move comes after the Justice Department and Live Nation formally reached a settlement earlier this week during the middle of the ongoing trial. While the Justice Department originally called for the breakup of Live Nation and Ticketmaster when the department first sued the company in 2024, the settlement leaves Live Nation intact, with more minor provisions that include stripping Live Nation of its exclusive booking agreements with 13 stadiums, a 15 percent fee cap at the stadiums and up to $280 million in damage payments.
Attorneys general in several individual states including New York and California expressed their disapproval of the settlement earlier this week, confirming that they would remain in litigation with Live Nation as they seek broader resolutions.
New York Attorney General Letitia James said earlier this week that the settlement “fails to address the monopoly at the heart of this case,” adding, “We will continue our litigation to protect consumers and restore fair competition in the live entertainment industry.”
Several plaintiff states had moved for a mistrial earlier this week in light of the settlement, though they had withdrawn that motion by Friday.
Evidence shared through the trial has already led to some fireworks, with documents filed earlier this week revealing private exchanges between Live Nation employees joking and bragging about “gaming” fans with rising parking costs and surcharges. Live Nation said the exchange “does not reflect at all our values or the way we operate,” adding that the company would “look into the matter immediately.”
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