Live Nation trial heads to jury
After closing arguments a jury has begun deliberations in the Live Nation / Ticketmaster monopoly trial, marking a key moment in a case that examines the market power of large intermediaries. The day‑by‑day account tracked the case to 'Day 23' as it moved to the jury room. (bigtechontrial.com)
A Manhattan federal jury began deliberating on Friday, April 10, in the antitrust case over whether Live Nation and Ticketmaster illegally monopolized concert promotion and ticketing. (abcnews.com) The civil case now before the jury is being pressed by 34 states after closing arguments on Thursday, April 9, in a trial that ran about five weeks before Judge Arun Subramanian in the Southern District of New York. (courthousenews.com) Soon after deliberations started, jurors asked to review testimony from the trial, and no verdict was returned on the first day. (courant.com) The lawsuit started on May 23, 2024, when the Justice Department and states accused Live Nation of maintaining monopoly power in primary ticketing for major concert venues, concert promotion, and large amphitheaters. The complaint says the company used its combined control of venues, promotion and Ticketmaster to shut out rivals across the live concert business. (justice.gov) That structure is the core of the case: promoters book tours, venues host shows, and ticketing companies sell the seats. The states say Live Nation’s ownership of all three layers let it steer business to itself and make it harder for venues and artists to switch providers. (justice.gov) In closing arguments, lawyers for the states told jurors that Live Nation controlled 86 percent of the concert market and 73 percent of the broader live-events market when sports were included. Live Nation’s lawyers answered that the company is large because it competes well in a growing business, not because it broke antitrust law. (spectrumlocalnews.com) The federal government is no longer trying this case to the jury. Live Nation announced on March 9 that it had reached a settlement with the Justice Department, while several states kept pursuing their claims in court. (newsroom.livenation.com) The Justice Department’s case page still lists the suit as United States and plaintiff states v. Live Nation Entertainment and Ticketmaster, and multistate attorneys general say the remaining state claims target the same alleged conduct in ticketing, promotion and amphitheater access. (justice.gov, naag.org) Live Nation has said the settlement with Washington resolves all remaining federal claims without any admission of wrongdoing, and it has continued to argue at trial that competition in concerts and ticketing is stronger than the states claim. (prnewswire.com) The jury’s answer will decide whether the states proved that the company crossed the line from being the biggest player in live entertainment to violating antitrust law. (billboard.com)
