States Vow to Continue Antitrust Fight Against Live Nation Despite DOJ Settlement

According to Bloomberg, the settlement announcement triggered frustration among several state officials and the federal judge overseeing the case in New York. The development led to a contentious court hearing in which attorneys disputed which parties had agreed to the settlement and what it means for the broader lawsuit. During the hearing, Adam Gitlin, an attorney representing the District of Columbia’s attorney general, asked the court to declare a mistrial.

Despite the federal government’s agreement with Live Nation, a bipartisan group of states said the settlement fails to resolve what they consider to be the core antitrust concerns surrounding the company’s dominance in the live entertainment market. Per Bloomberg, officials from multiple states—including New York, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Ohio, Kansas and Maryland—said they intend to continue pursuing the case independently.

“The settlement recently announced with the U.S. 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,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement.

Related: Live Nation Nears Settlement in Federal Antitrust Case Over Ticketmaster

We’d love to be your preferred source for news.

Please add us to your preferred sources list so our news, data and interviews show up in your feed. Thanks!

Add as Preferred Source

The broader lawsuit dates back to 2024, when the Justice Department and roughly 40 state attorneys general sued Live Nation during the Biden administration. According to Bloomberg, regulators alleged the company built an illegal monopoly across the live entertainment ecosystem by controlling ticket sales, concert venues and artist promotion. Authorities argued that the company’s practices pushed out rivals and forced venues into exclusive arrangements, limiting competition and harming both performers and fans.

The Justice Department reached a settlement with Live Nation worth roughly $200 million. The company did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the states’ decision to continue the litigation, according to Bloomberg.

A senior Justice Department official, speaking to reporters Monday on the condition of anonymity, defended the agreement and said it would increase transparency for consumers. The official said the deal weakens Ticketmaster’s previous dominance over ticket distribution.

“It really sort of weakens what was previously this stranglehold that Ticketmaster.com had,” the official said. “Now people can buy tickets on a variety of platforms, which opens up the ability for competition to happen. And so that’s where you’re going to see prices change significantly.”

The official also suggested that state-level efforts to continue the case are not unusual after a federal settlement and argued that similar state actions have failed in the past, per Bloomberg.

Several attorneys general, however, say they believe continuing the lawsuit could produce stronger remedies for consumers and the live music industry.

“The case against Ticketmaster is strong, and I am committed to seeing it through,” Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said in a statement. “Ticketmaster has operated above the law for too long, and my office will keep pushing until we restore competition and fairness to the live music industry.”

Source: Bloomberg