Live Nation reaches settlement with Department of Justice in ticketing monopoly case

Live Nation has reached a settlement with the US Department of Justice in the government’s sweeping antitrust lawsuit against the concert and ticketing giant, less than a week after trial began. Under the proposed deal, Ticketmaster will be required to open parts of its platform to rival companies such as Eventbrite and SeatGeek, while long-term exclusivity contracts with venues would be capped at four years, giving venues the option to distribute some tickets through competing platforms. Live Nation will also divest up to 13 amphitheaters across the country and cap Ticketmaster service fees at 15% of a ticket’s price. READ MORE: New Music Venue Trust-backed “ethical” ticket platform prohibits ticket resales above face value The deal will also require Live Nation to pay roughly $280 million in damages to nearly 40 states that joined the lawsuit. Even so, the settlement represents a far less severe outcome than the government’s original proposal, which sought to break up the company. The Justice Department and a coalition of 40 state attorneys generals first sued Live Nation in May 2024, alleging the company built and maintained an illegal monopoly over live events through its control of ticketing, venues and artist promotion. Regulators argued that dominance allowed the company to stifle competition and lock venues into exclusive deals that ultimately harmed artists and fans. Live Nation welcomed the proposed resolution. “We have never relied on exclusivity to drive our ticketing business, it has simply been the result of having the best products, services and people in the industry,” says Live Nation president and CEO Michael Rapino. “We are happy to take greater steps to empower artists and venues in their ticketing decisions, and are confident we will continue to succeed on the quality of what we deliver.” The process surrounding the deal, however, drew immediate criticism from US District Judge Arun Subramanian, who said it was “entirely unacceptable” that both sides finalised the agreement without informing the court beforehand [via AP]. Meanwhile, some state attorneys say the fight is not over. New York attorney general Letitia James says several states intend to continue pursuing their own claims even if the settlement moves forward. “The settlement recently announced with the US Department of Justice fails to address the monopoly at the center of this case, and would benefit Live Nation at the expense of consumers. We cannot agree to it,” James says. “My attorney general colleagues and I have a strong case against Live Nation, and we will continue our lawsuit to protect consumers and restore fair competition to the live entertainment industry.” The post Live Nation reaches settlement with Department of Justice in ticketing monopoly case appeared first on MusicTech.